Catalytic conversion and catalysts

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A NORMALLY SOLID POLYMER, WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A NORMALLY GASEOUS, UNBRANCHED 1-ALKENE CAPABLE OF UNDERGOING ADDITION POLYMERIZATION UNDER POLYMERIZATION REACTION CONDITIONS, INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 10*C. AND ABOUT 175*C. AND A PRESSURE BELOW 2000 P.S.I.A., WITH A POLYMERIZATION CATALYST PREPARED BY ADMIXING (A) AN ALKALI REAGENT SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF: (1) ALKALI METAL (2) ALKALI METAL HYDRIDE (3) HYDROCARBON DERIVATIVE OF AN ALKALI METAL AND (4) MIXTURES OF SAID ALKALI REAGENTS, WITH (B) A POLYVALENT METAL SALT OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUPS 4A, 5A, 6A AND 8 OF THE MENDELEEFF PERIODIC TABLE, THE IMPROVEMENT OF EFFECTING SAID CONTACTING IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ORGANIC PEROXIDE IN A PROPORTION SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT SUBSTANTIAL PROMOTION OF THE ACTIVITY OF SAID POLYMERIZATION CATALYST OF FROM ABOUT 0.01 TO ABOUT 20 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF SAID ALKALI REAGENT, AND RECOVERING A POLYMER THUS PRODUCED.