Polymerization catalysts

Claim 2

A process comprising: (a) contacting (1) magnesium metal, (2) an organic halide of the formula RX or R'X 2 where X represents a halogen, R is selected from alkynyl, alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkyl radicals and combinations thereof containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule and R' is a saturated divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical, (3) titanium tetrahalide, and subjecting same to intensive milling in the absence of a complexing diluent; (b) milling the entire reaction product of (a) with (4) at least one of tin tetrahalide, vanadium tetrahalide and silicon tetrahalide, (5) in the presence or absence of a triaryl phosphite, and (c) thereafter activating the thus produced catalyst component of (b) by contacting same with (6) an organoaluminum activator.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 wherein said milling in (a) (3) is carried out in the absence of any extraneous diluent but in the presence of a triaryl phosphite and (5) is a compound of the formula (R""O) 3 P where R"" is aryl, alkyl-substituted aryl, cycloalkyl-substituted aryl and aryl-substituted aryl wherein the basic unsubstituted aryl has from 6 to 14 carbon atoms and the alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl substituents have 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, and said tin tetrahalide is tin tetrachloride.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1 wherein said milling in (b) is carried out in the presence of triphenyl phosphite and tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride or silicon tetrachloride.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 wherein said milling in (b) is carried out in the presence of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, or silicon tetrachloride and the resulting milled product is heated treated prior to combining with (6).

Claim 6

A process according to claim 4 wherein said milling is carried out in the presence of triphenyl phosphite.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 wherein (3) is titanium tetrachloride, (2) is a compound of the formula RX in which X represents chlorine or bromine and R is selected from an alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, or cycloalkyl radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and (6) comprises a compound having a formula selected from AlR" 3 , R" 2 AlZ, R"AlZ 2 and R" 2 AlOR" wherein each R" represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule, Z represents a halogen or hydrogen, and wherein said milling is carried out at a temperature within the range of 40°-110° C.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1 wherein said activator contains at least one polar organic adjuvant which is an electron donor.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 7 wherein said adjuvant is ethyl anisate.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 1 wherein said milling is done by ball milling and wherein said organoaluminum activator consists essentially of triethylaluminum, diethylaluminum chloride, and ethyl anisate, and an atom ratio of magnesium to titanium is within the range of 0.75:1 to 1.25:1.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 1 wherein said (6) organoaluminum activator comprises a trialkylaluminum compound, a polar organic adjuvant which is an electron donor and a dialkylaluminum compound coactivator.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 1 wherein said (2) organic halide is n-pentyl chloride, said (3) titanium tetrahalide is titanium tetrachloride, said (6) organoaluminum activator is triethylaluminum plus ethyl anisate and diethylaluminum chloride, said (4) is tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, or silicon tetrachloride, and said (5) is triphenyl phosphite.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 1 wherein the product obtained in (b) is heat treated prior to combining with (6).

Claim 14

A catalyst according to claim 1.

Claim 15

A catalyst according to claim 3.

Claim 16

A catalyst according to claim 9.

Claim 17

A process comprising: (a) combining magnesium metal, an organic halide of the formula RX or R'X 2 where X represents a halogen, R is selected from alkynyl, alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkyl radicals and combinations thereof containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule and R' is a saturated divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical and titanium tetrahalide with at least one of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, and silicon tetrachloride, and, optionally, at least one of magnesium oxide, a triaryl phosphite, and a polymeric material selected from polypropylene, poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(phenylene oxide), and subjecting same to intensive milling in the absence of any extraneous diluent to form a titanium catalyst component; and (b) thereafter contacting said titanium catalyst component with an organoaluminum activator.

Claim 18

A process comprising: (a) combining magnesium metal, an organic halide of the formula RX or R'X 2 where X represents a halogen, R is selected from alkynyl, alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkyl radicals and combinations thereof containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule and R' is a saturated divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical and titanium tetrahalide with at least one of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, and silicon tetrachloride, and, optionally, at least one of magnesium oxide, a triaryl phosphite, and a polymeric material selected from polypropylene, poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(phenylene oxide), and subjecting same to intensive milling in the absence of any extraneous diluent to form a titanium catalyst component; and (b) thereafter contacting said titanium catalyst component with an organoaluminum activator.

Claim 19

A process according to claim 16 wherein said organic halide is a compound of the formula RX wherein X represents said chlorine or bromine and R is selected from an alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, or cycloalkyl radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, said titanium tetrahalide is titanium tetrachloride, said triaryl phosphite is triphenyl phosphite, said polymeric material is poly(phenylene sulfide) and said organoaluminum activator is a compound having a formula selected from AlR" 3 , R" 2 AlZ, R"AlZ 2 and R" 2 AlOR" wherein each R" represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, Z is a halogen or hydrogen.

Claim 20

A process according to claim 16 wherein said activator contains at least one polar organic adjuvant which is an electron donor.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 18 wherein said adjuvant is ethyl anisate.

Claim 22

A process according to claim 18 wherein a molar ratio of said titanium compound to said adjuvant is within the range of 1:1 to 200:1, an atom ratio of said aluminum to said titanium is within the range of 40:1 to 150:1, and said organic halide and magnesium metal are added in about stoichiometric amounts.

Claim 23

A process according to claim 16 wherein said titanium tetrahalide is titanium tetrachloride, said organic halide is n-pentyl chloride, said triaryl phosphite is triphenyl phosphite, and said organoaluminum activator is triethylaluminum plus ethyl anisate and diethylaluminum chloride.

Claim 24

A process according to claim 16 wherein said milled titanium catalyst component is heat treated prior to combining with (b).

Claim 25

A catalyst produced by the method of claim 16.

Claim 26

A catalyst produced by the method of claim 21.

Claim 27

A process comprising: (a) combining an organic halide of the formula RX or R'X 2 where X represents a halogen, R is selected from alkynyl, alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkyl radicals and combinations thereof containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule and R' is a saturated divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical, a titanium tetrahalide and magnesium metal and subjecting same to intensive milling in the presence of at least one of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, silicon tetrachloride, aluminum trichloride, magnesium oxide, and a polymer material selected from polypropylene, poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(phenylene oxide); (b) milling the entire reaction product of (a) with additional amounts of at least one of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, silicon tetrachloride, aluminum trichloride, magnesium oxide, and a polymeric material selected from polypropylene, poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(phenylene oxide) and in the presence of a triaryl phosphite to produce a titanium catalyst component; and (c) thereafter contacting said titanium catalyst component with an organoaluminum activator.

Claim 28

A process comprising: (a) combining an organic halide of the formula RX or R'X 2 where X represents a halogen, R is selected from alkynyl, alkenyl, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkyl radicals and combinations thereof containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule and R' is a saturated divalent aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical, a titanium tetrahalide and magnesium metal and subjecting same to intensive milling in the presence of at least one of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, silicon tetrachloride, aluminum trichloride, magnesium oxide, and a polymer material selected from polypropylene, poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(phenylene oxide); (b) milling the entire reaction product of (a) with additional amounts of at least one of tin tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, silicon tetrachloride, aluminum trichloride, magnesium oxide, and a polymeric material selected from polypropylene, poly(phenylene sulfide) and poly(phenylene oxide) and in the presence of a triaryl phosphite to produce a titanium catalyst component; and (c) thereafter contacting said titanium catalyst component with an organoaluminum activator.

Claim 29

A process according to claim 25 wherein said titanium tetrahalide is titanium tetrachloride, said organic halide is n-pentyl chloride, said triaryl phosphite is triphenyl phosphite, said polymeric material is poly(phenylene sulfide), and said organoaluminum activator is triethylaluminum plus ethyl anisate and diethylaluminum chloride.

Claim 30

A process according to claim 25 wherein said milled product of (b) is heat treated prior to combining with (c).

Claim 31

A catalyst produced by the method of claim 25.

Claim 32

A catalyst produced by the method of claim 26.