Transition metal compound

Claim 2

A process for the production of a transition metal composition which comprises the steps of reacting titanium tetrachloride with a solution, in an inert diluent, of a complex material of the formula TiAl 2 Cl 8 (arene); separating from the reaction mixture a titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition, and contacting the titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition with at least one organo-Lewis Base compound and titanium tetrachloride by grinding the titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition in the presence of the at least one organo-Lewis Base compound and the titanium tetrachloride.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition has the formula TiCl 3 cAlCl 3 wherein c is from 0.50 up to 1.50.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 in which the organo-Lewis Base compound is an organo-Lewis Base compound containing at least one sulphur, nitrogen or phosphorus atom.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 in which the organo-Lewis Base compound is a compound of one of the formulae R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3 P(O).sub.m R.sup.5 R.sup.6 R.sup.7 N ##STR11## R.sup.11 R.sup.12 P(Q).sub.z ED or ##STR12## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each, independently, an alkyl or aryl group, or a group --NR.sup.4.sub.2 or --OR.sup.4 ; R 4 is an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 and R 6 are hydrocarbyl groups; R 7 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or a group --C n H 2n NR 5 R 6 ; or R 5 and R 6 , optionally with R 7 , together form a substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, condensed or uncondensed ring system; 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 ##STR13## R 11 is a halogen atom, a hydrocarbyl group, a group --NR 9 2 or --OR 9 , a heterocyclic group or a group (E--L--G); R 12 is a halogen atom, a hydrocarbyl group, a group --NR 9 2 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 tp 5; s is an integer from 0 up to 5; y is a positive integer; and z is 0 or 1.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 in which grinding is effected in the presence of from 0.01 up to 0.50 mole of titanium tetrachloride for each gramme atom of titanium which is present in the titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 in which grinding is effected in the presence of from 0.10 up to 1.0 mole of the organo-Lewis Base compound for each gramme atom of titanium which is present in the titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2 in which grinding is effected in the presence of an amount of the organo-Lewis Base compound which is given by the relationship L.B.=[TiCl.sub.4 ]+0.5[AlCl.sub.3 ]±0.10 where L.B. is the amount of the organo-Lewis Base compound in moles; [TiCl 4 ] is the amount of titanium tetrachloride in moles; and [AlCl 3 ] is the total amount of aluminium chloride in moles which is present in the composition TiCl 3 cAlCl 3 .

Claim 9

The process of claim 2 wherein grinding is effected by ball milling at a temperature from -10° C. up to 100° C. for a time of from 5 hours up to 100 hours.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein, as a final step, the composition obtained from the titanium trichloride-aluminium chloride composition, the at least one organo-Lewis Base compound and titanium tetrachloride is washed with an inert aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon liquid.

Claim 11

An olefine polymerisation catalyst comprising 1. a transition metal composition which has been obtained by the process of claim 1; and 2. at least one organo-metallic compound of aluminium, or of a non-transition metal of Group IIA of the Periodic Table, or a complex of an organo-metallic compound of a non-transition metal of Group IA or IIA of the Periodic Table and an organo-aluminium compound.

Claim 12

The catalyst of claim 10 which also contains 3. an organo-Lewis Base compound which is a compound of one of the formulae R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3 P(O).sub.m R.sup.5 R.sup.6 R.sup.7 N ##STR14## R.sup.11 R.sup.12 P(Q).sub.z ED or ##STR15## where D, E, Q, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12, X, Y, Z, Z', m, p, q, s and z are all as defined.

Claim 13

The catalyst of claim 11 wherein component 3) is hexamethylphosphoric triamide; 2-dimethylamino-1,3-dimethyl-1,3,2-diazaphospholidine-2-oxide; N,N,N',N',N"-pentamethyl-N"-β-dimethylaminoethylphosphoric triamide; N,N,N',N'-tetrametnylethylene-diamine; tributylamine or diphenylsulphone.

Claim 14

The catalyst of claim 10 which also contains 4. a substituted or unsubstituted polyene.

Claim 15

The process of claim 4 wherein the organo-Lewis Base compound is a compound of one of the formulae ##STR16## where R 9 , R 10 , T, X, Y, Z, Z', p, q, and s are all as defined.