Ultra high efficiency catalyst for polymerizing olefins

Claim 1

A process for polymerizing one or more α-olefins which comprises conducting the polymerization under Ziegler polymerization conditions in the presence of a catalyst composition containing: the catalyst reaction product of (A) the reaction product or complex formed from the admixture of (1) at least one transition metal compound represented by the formulae Tm(OR) y X x-y or Tm(OR) x-2 O wherein Tm is a transition metal selected from groups IVB, VB or VIB; each R is independently a hydrocarbyl group, having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; each X is independently a halogen; x has a value equal to the valence of Tm and y has a value from 1 to the valance of Tm; and (2) at least one zinc compound represented by the formulae R 2 Zn and RZnX wherein each R is independently a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms and X is a halogen; and (B) a magnesium halide resulting from the reaction of (1) an organomagnesium compound represented by the formulae MgR" 2 .xMR" y wherein M is aluminum or zinc, each R" is independently a hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbyloxy group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, x has a value from zero to 10 and y has a value corresponding to the valence of M; with (2) a halide source selected from (a) an active non-metallic halide, said non-metallic halide corresponding to the formula R'X wherein R' is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group such that the hydrocarbyl halide is at least as active as sec-butyl chloride and does not poison the catalyst and X is halogen or (b) a metallic halide corresponding to the formula MR y-a X a wherein M is a metal of Group IIB, IIIA or IVA of Mendeleev's Periodic Table of Elements, R is a monovalent hydrocarbyl radical, X is halogen, y is a number corresponding to the valence of M and a is a number of 1 to y; and (C) when the organomagnesium component and/or the halide source provides insufficient quantities of aluminum, an aluminum compound represented by the formula AlR y' X y" wherein R and X are as defined above and y' and y" each have a value of from zero to three with the sum of y' and y" being three; and wherein the components are employed in quantities which provide at atomic ratio of the elements Mg:Tm of from about 1:1 to about 200:1; Zn:Tm at least about 0.03:1; Al:Tm of from about 0.1:1 to about 200:1 and an excess X:Al of from about 0.005:1 to about 10:1.