Process for preparing a transition metal compound and it's use as a component in an olefin polymerization catalyst

Claim 1

A process for the treatment of a transition metal compound which comprises grinding a solid compound of a transition metal of Groups IVA to VIA of the Periodic Table in the presence of at least two Lewis Acid compounds which are aluminium chloride and titanium tetrachloride and which are different from the solid compound of the transition metal, and at least one organo-Lewis Base compound selected from the group consisting of compounds of one of the formulae: R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3 P(O).sub.m R.sup.5 R.sup.6 NC.sub.n H.sub.2n NR.sup.5 R.sup.6 ##STR10## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each, independently, an alkyl or aryl group, or a group --NR.sub.2.sup.4 or --OR.sup.4 ; R 4 is an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 and R 6 are hydrocarbyl groups; X, or each X, is, independently, a halogen atom, an alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylthio, or arylthio group, or a group --NR 8 R 9 , or two groups X can together form a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon ring; Y, or each Y, is, independently, a halogen atom, an alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylthio, or arylthio group, or a group --NR 8 R 9 , or two groups Y can together form a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon ring, or a group X and a group Y may be replaced by a link between the two phenyl groups attached to the --SO 2 -- group, the linkage being either direct or through a group --O--, --CH 2 --, --NR 8 --, --S-- or --CO--; R 8 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbyl group; R 9 is a hydrocarbyl group; Z, or each Z is, independently, a halogen atom, an alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylthio, or arylthio group, or a group --NR 8 R 9 , or two groups Z can together form a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon ring; R 10 is a hydrocarbyl group or a group ##STR11## R 11 is a halogen atom, a hydrocarbyl group, a group --NR 2 9 or --OR 9 , a heterocyclic group or a group (E-L-G); R 12 is a halogen atom, a hydrocarbyl group, a group --NR 2 9 or --OR 9 , a heterocyclic group, a group (E-L-G) or ED; each E is --O--, --S--, or --NR 9 --, and may be the same or different; G is --OR 9 , --SR 9 , --NR 9 2 , --PR 9 2 or a heterocyclic ring system whereof the heteroatom is O, S, N, or P; D is a group --LG or --P(Q) z R 11 R 12 , or, when R 12 is ED, both the D groups may together form a group --L--; L is a bivalent hydrocarbyl radical such that E and G or E and E are separated by not more than 3 carbon atoms; Q is an oxygen or sulphur atom; T is --S--, --O--, --NR 9 --; or --CO--; Z', or each Z', is independently a halogen atom, an alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylthio or arylthio group, or a group --NR 8 R 9 ; m is 0 or 1; n is 1, 2 or 3; p and q are each, independently, an integer from 0 up to 5; s is an integer from 0 up to 5; y is a positive integer; and z is 0 or 1, wherein the grinding is effected in the presence of a total amount of aluminium chloride in the range from 0.34 up to 1.83 mole for each gramme atom of the transition metal which is present in the solid compound of the transition metal; the number of moles of the organo-Lewis Base compound does not exceed the number of gramme atoms of the transition metal which is present in the solid compound of the transition metal, and the grinding being effected at a temperature of from -10° C. up to 100° C. for a time of at least 5 hours.