Novel process for olefin polymerization

Claim 2

The process claimed in claim 1 wherein said VX4 is vanadium tetrachloride.

Claim 3

The process claimed in claim 1 wherein said Ti(OR)4 is tetrabutyl titanate.

Claim 4

The process claimed in claim 1 wherein said cocatalyst is diethyl aluminum chloride.

Claim 5

A process for preparing a curable, elastomeric copolymer of ethylene and a C3 to C10 alpha olefin which comprises: a. forming a charge mixture of ethylene and a C3 to C10 higher alpha olefin; b. forming, in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in the absence of cocatalyst, a catalyst component consisting essentially of vanadium tetrachloride and tetrabutyl titanate having the formula VCl4.bTi(O-butyl)4.nA, where b is 0.1 to 5.0, n is 0.5 to 3.0, and A is said aromatic hydrocarbon; c. contacting said charge mixture in a reaction zone with a catalytic amount of (i) said catalyst component in said aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and of (ii) as cocatalyst, a compound R''aAlY3 a wherein R'' is a hydrocarbon moiety, a is an integer 1-3, and Y is a halide having an atomic number greater than 9; d. copolymerizing said charge mixture at a temperature in the range of about -10* to 100* C. and at a pressure in the range of about 0 to 1,000 psig, thereby forming a copolymer of ethylene and a C3-C10 alpha olefin; and e. withdrawing said copolymer as product.

Claim 6

The process of preparing a copolymer of ethylene and a C3 to C10 higher alpha olefin as claimed in claim 1, wherein said catalyst component in said aromatic hydrocarbon solvent is added to said reaction zone separately from said cocatalyst.

Claim 7

The process of preparing a copolymer of ethylene and a C3 to C10 higher alpha olefin as claimed in claim 1, wherein said catalyst component in said aromatic hydrocarbon solvent is added to said reaction zone separately from said cocatalyst and with said ethylene and said C3 to C10 higher alpha olefin.

Claim 8

A process for preparing a copolymer of ethylene, a C3 to C10 higher alpha olefin, and a nonconjugated diolefin which comprises: a. forming a charge mixture of ethylene, a C3 to C10 higher alpha olefin and a nonconjugated diolefin; b. forming, in benzene in the absence of cocatalyst, a catalyst mixture consisting essentially of from 1 to 10 moles of vanadium tetrachloride and 0.5 to 5.0 moles of tetrabutyl titanate thereby forming a catalyst component of the formula VCl4.bTi(O-butyl)4.n benzene, where b is 0.1 to 5.0 and n is 0.5 to 3.0; c. contacting said charge mixture in a reaction zone with a catalytic amount of (i) said catalyst component in benzene and of (ii) diethyl aluminum chloride as cocatalyst; d. copolymerizing said charge mixture aT a temperature in the range of about -10* to 100* C. and at a pressure in the range of about 0 to 1,000 psig, thereby forming a terpolymer of ethylene, a C3 to C10 alpha olefin, and a nonconjugated diolefin; e. withdrawing said terpolymer as product.