Process for the production of high molecular weight amorphous copolymerizates of ethylene and a higher alpha-olefin in increased yields

Claim 1

IN THE PRODUCTION OF LINEAR, AMORPHOUS, VULCANIZABLE COPOLYMERS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PRODUCING THE COPOLYMERS IN HIGH YIELDS AND DIRECTLY IN THE FORM OF DISCRETE, FINE PARTICLES BY DISSOLVING ETHYLENE IN A LIQUID HIGHER ALPHA-OLEFIN SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PROPYLENE AND BUTENE-1, THE AMOUNT OF THE HIGHER ALPHA-OLEFIN IN THE SOLUTION BEING FROM 80 TO 99.5 MOL PERCENT OF THE TOTAL, AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM +30*C. TO -100*C., ADDING TO THE LIQUID MIXTURE, AT SAID TEMPERATURE, (1) AN ALKYL ALUMINUM COMPOUND IN WHICH THE ALKYL RADICALS CONTAIN FROM 2 TO 6 CARBON ATOMS, AND (2) A SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBON-SOLUBLE VANADIUM COMPOUNDS AND MIXTURES OF HYDROCARBON-SOLUBLE VANADIUM COMPOUNDS WITH TITANIUM TETRACHLORIDE, AT LEAST ONE OF (1) AND (2) CONTAINING HALOGEN, AND (1) AND (2) BEING ADDED IN RELATIVE AMOUNTS TO FORM A CATALYST FOR EFFECTIVELY COPOLYMERIZING THE MONOMERS; EFFECTING THE COPOLYMERIZATION BY MAINTAINING THE LIQUID CONTAINING THE CATALYST, WHICH LIQUID COMPRISES THE SOLUTION OF ETHYLENE IN THE LIQUID SELECTED HIGHER ALPHA-OLEFIN AND IS ESSENTIALLY FREE OF A SOLVENT FOR THE COPOLYMERS FORMED, AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE +30*C. TO -100* C., AND WHILE MAINTAINING THE MOLAR RATIO OF ETHYLENE TO HIGHER ALPHA-OLEFIN IN THE REACTING LIQUID PHASE SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT, AND RECOVERING THE AMORPHOUS COPOLYMER IN THE FORM OF THE DISCRETE, FINE PARTICLES IN WHICH IT SEPARATES FROM THE LIQUID REACTING PHASE WHEN IT IS PRODUCED UNDER THE RECITED CONDITIONS.