Process and catalyst for production of olefin polymers

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR POLYMERIZING AN ALIPHATIC 1-OLEFIN HAVING UP TO AND INCLUDING 8 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTIN SAID OLEFIN WITH A CATALYST CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (1) A METAL HALIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HALIDES OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, AND GERMANIUM, (2) A COMPOUND CORRESPONDING TO THE FORMULA M''(OR'')X, WHEREIN M'' IS A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CESIUM, MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM, ZINC, STRONTIUM, CADMIUM, BARIUM, ALUMINUM, GALLIUM, INDIUM AND THALLIUM, R'' IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL, ALKENYL, CYCLOALKYL, CYCLOALKENYL AND ARYL RADICALS AND COMBINATIONS OF THESE RADICALS, AND X IS EQUAL TO THE VALENCE OF METAL M'', AND (3) A COMPONENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (A) AN ORGANOMETAL HALIDE CORRESPONDING TO THE FORMULA RMMXN, WHEREIN R IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A SATURATED ACYCLIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL, A SATURATED CYCLIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL, AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL, AND COMBINATIONS OF THESE RADICALS, M IS A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, GALLIUM, INDIUM, AND THALLIUM, AND X IS A HALOGEN, AND WHEREIN M AND N ARE INTEGERS, THE SUM OF M AND N BEING EQUAL TO THE VALENCE OF THE METAL M, AND (B) AN ALKALI METAL ALUMINUM HYDRIDE, AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF -250 TO 500*F., IN THE PRESENCE OF A HYDROCARBON DILUENT, INERT AND LIQUID UNDER CONDITIONS OF THE METHOD, AT A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID DILUENT IN LIQUID PHASE, AND RECOVERING THE SOLID POLYMER SO PRODUCED.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR POLYMERIZING AN ALIPHATIC 1-OLEFIN HAVING UP TO AND INCLUDING 8 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTIN SAID OLEFIN WITH A CATALYST CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (1) A METAL HALIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HALIDES OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, AND GERMANIUM, (2) A COMPOUND CORRESPONDING TO THE FORMULA M''(OR'')X, WHEREIN M'' IS A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF LITHIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, RUBIDIUM, CESIUM, MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM, ZINC, STRONTIUM, CADMIUM, BARIUM, ALUMINUM, GALLIUM, INDIUM AND THALLIUM, R'' IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL, ALKENYL, CYCLOALKYL, CYCLOALKENYL AND ARYL RADICALS AND COMBINATIONS OF THESE RADICALS, AND X IS EQUAL TO THE VALENCE OF METAL M'', AND (3) A COMPONENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (A) AN ORGANOMETAL HALIDE CORRESPONDING TO THE FORMULA RMMXN, WHEREIN R IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A SATURATED ACYCLIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL, A SATURATED CYCLIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL, AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL, AND COMBINATIONS OF THESE RADICALS, M IS A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALUMINUM, GALLIUM, INDIUM, AND THALLIUM, AND X IS A HALOGEN, AND WHEREIN M AND N ARE INTEGERS, THE SUM OF M AND N BEING EQUAL TO THE VALENCE OF THE METAL M, AND (B) AN ALKALI METAL ALUMINUM HYDRIDE, AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF -250 TO 500*F., IN THE PRESENCE OF A HYDROCARBON DILUENT, INERT AND LIQUID UNDER CONDITIONS OF THE METHOD, AT A PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID DILUENT IN LIQUID PHASE, AND RECOVERING THE SOLID POLYMER SO PRODUCED.