Catalyst composition for polymerizing alpha-olefins

Claim 2

In a process for preparing an alpha-olefin polymerization catalyst composition comprising a transition metal compound, a magnesium compound and a metal alkyl, the improvement comprising using trimethylaluminum as the metal alkyl.

Claim 3

A process of claim 1 wherein the magnesium compound is an organomagnesium composition.

Claim 4

A process of claim 2 wherein the catalyst composition is prepared by: (A) contacting a solid, porous carrier with the organomagnesium composition; (B) contacting the product of step (A) with the transition metal compound; and (C) contacting the product of step (B) with the trimethylaluminum.

Claim 5

A process of claim 3 wherein the catalyst composition is prepared in a process comprising the steps of: (i) contacting a solid, porous carrier having reactive OH groups with a liquid containing at least one organomagnesium composition having the empirical formula: R.sub.n MgR'.sub.(2-n) where R and R' are the same or different and they are C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl groups, provided that R' may also be a halogen, and n is 0, 1 or 2, the number of moles of said organomagnesium composition being in excess of the number of moles of said OH groups on said carrier; (ii) evaporating said liquid from step (i) to produce a supported magnesium composition in the form of a dry, free-flowing powder; and (iii) reacting said powder of step (ii) with at least one transition metal compound in a liquid medium, the number of moles of said transition metal compound being in excess of the number of moles of the OH groups on said carrier prior to the reaction of the carrier with said organomagnesium composition in step (i), said transition metal compound being soluble in said liquid medium, and said supported magnesium composition being substantially insoluble in said liquid medium.

Claim 6

A process of claim 4 wherein the transition metal compound is a titanium compound.

Claim 7

A process of claim 5 wherein the titanium compound is a tetravalent titanium compound.

Claim 8

A process of claim 6 wherein the catalyst composition comprises such an amount of the trimethylaluminum that the polymer prepared with the catalyst composition comprises about 15 to about 300 parts per million of the trimethylaluminum.

Claim 9

A process of claim 7 wherein n is 1.

Claim 10

A process of claim 8 wherein said step (i) comprises: (a) slurrying the carrier in a non-Lewis base liquid; and (b) adding to the slurry resulting from step (a) the organomagnesium composition in the form of an ether solution thereof.

Claim 11

A process of claim 9 wherein the ether is tetrahydrofuran.

Claim 12

A process of claim 10 wherein the porous, solid carrier is silica, alumina or combinations thereof.

Claim 13

A process of claim 11 wherein the porous, solid carrier is silica.

Claim 14

A process of claim 12 wherein the tetravalent titanium compound is TiCl 4 .

Claim 15

A process of claim 13 wherein, in step (i), the ratio of the number of moles of said organomagnesium composition to the number of moles of the OH groups on said silica is from about 1.1 to about 3.5.

Claim 16

A process of claim 14 wherein in step (i), the ratio of the number of moles of said organomagnesium composition to the number of moles of the OH groups on said silica is about 1.5 to 3.5.

Claim 17

A process of claim 15 wherein said liquid medium is an alkane, cycloalkane, aromatics or halogenated aromatics.

Claim 18

A process of claim 16 wherein said liquid medium is hexane.

Claim 19

A process of claim 17 wherein, prior to contacting the silica in step (i), it is heated at a temperature of about 750° C. for at least four hours.

Claim 20

A process of claim 18 wherein the organomagnesium composition is ethylmagnesium chloride.

Claim 21

In an alpha-olefin polymerization catalyst composition comprising a transition metal compound, a magnesium compound and a metal alkyl, the improvement comprising using trimethylaluminum as the metal alkyl.

Claim 22

In an alpha-olefin polymerization catalyst composition comprising a transition metal compound, a magnesium compound and a metal alkyl, the improvement comprising using trimethylaluminum as the metal alkyl.

Claim 23

A catalyst composition of claim 20 wherein the magnesium compound is an organomagnesium composition.

Claim 24

A catalyst composition of claim 21 wherein it is prepared by: (A) contacting a solid, porous carrier with the organomagnesium composition; (B) contacting the product of step (A) with the transition metal compound; and (C) contacting the product of step (B) with the trimethylaluminum.

Claim 25

A catalyst composition of claim 22 wherein it is prepared in a process comprising the steps of (i) contacting a solid, porous carrier having reactive OH groups with a liquid containing at least one organomagnesium composition having the empirical formula: R.sub.n MgR'.sub.(2-n) where R and R' are the same or different and they are C 1 -C 12 hydrocarbyl groups, provided that R' may also be a halogen, and n is 0, 1 or 2, the number of moles of said organomagnesium composition being in excess of the number of moles of said OH groups on said carrier; (ii) evaporating said liquid from step (i) to produce a supported magnesium composition in the form of a dry, free-flowing powder; and (iii) reacting said powder of step (ii) with at least one transition metal compound in a liquid medium, the number of moles of said transition metal compound being in excess of the number of moles of the OH groups on said carrier prior to the reaction of the carrier with said organomagnesium composition in step (i), said transition metal compound being soluble in said liquid medium, and said supported magnesium composition being substantially insoluble in said liquid medium.

Claim 26

A catalyst composition of claim 23 wherein the transition metal compound is a titanium compound.

Claim 27

A catalyst composition of claim 24 wherein the titanium compound is a tetravalent titanium compound.

Claim 28

A catalyst composition of claim 25 which comprises such an amount of the trimethylaluminum that the polymer prepared with the catalyst composition comprises about 15 to about 300 parts per million of the trimethylaluminum.

Claim 29

A catalyst composition of claim 26 wherein n is 1.

Claim 30

A catalyst composition of claim 27 wherein said step (i) comprises: (a) slurrying the carrier in a non-Lewis base liquid; and (b) adding to the slurry resulting from step (a) the organomagnesium composition in the form of an ether solution thereof.

Claim 31

A catalyst composition of claim 28 wherein the ether is tetrahydrofuran.

Claim 32

A catalyst composition of claim 29 wherein the porous, solid carrier is silica, alumina or combinations thereof.

Claim 33

A catalyst composition of claim 30 wherein the porous, solid carrier is silica.

Claim 34

A catalyst composition of claim 31 wherein the tetravalent titanium compound is TiCl 4 .

Claim 35

A catalyst composition of claim 32 wherein, in step (i), the ratio of the number of moles of said organomagnesium composition to the number of moles of the OH groups on said silica is from about 1.1 to about 3.5.

Claim 36

A catalyst composition of claim 33 wherein, in step (i), the ratio of the number of moles of said organomagnesium composition to the number of moles of the OH groups on said silica is about 1.5 to 3.5.

Claim 37

A catalyst composition of claim 34 wherein said liquid medium is an alkane, cycloalkane, aromatics or halogenated aromatics.

Claim 38

A catalyst composition of claim 35 wherein said liquid medium is hexane.

Claim 39

A catalyst composition of claim 36 wherein, prior to contacting the silica in step (i), it is heated at a temperature of about 750° C. for at least four hours.

Claim 40

A catalyst composition of claim 37 wherein the organomagnesium composition is ethylmagnesium chloride.

Claim 41

A process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst composition is prepared by (A) contacting a solution of a magnesium compound in a liquid with a titanium compound; (B) contacting the resulting solution of step (A) with a solid, inert porous carrier to form a catalyst precursor; and (C) contacting the precursor with the trimethylaluminum.

Claim 42

A process of claim 39 wherein the magnesium compound has the empirical formula MgX.sub.2 wherein X is Cl, Br, I or mixtures thereof.

Claim 43

A process of claim 40 wherein the magnesium compound is MgCl 2 .

Claim 44

A process of claim 41 wherein said liquid is at least one Lewis base.

Claim 45

A process of claim 42 wherein the Lewis base is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic carboxylic acids, aromatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic ethers, cyclic ethers and aliphatic ketones.

Claim 46

A process of claim 43 wherein the Lewis base is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic ethers and cyclic ethers.

Claim 47

A process of claim 44 wherein the Lewis base is tetrahydrofuran.

Claim 48

A process of claim 45 wherein the titanium compound is TiCl 3 , TiCl 4 , Ti(OCH 3 )Cl 3 , Ti(OC 6 H 5 )Cl 3 , Ti(OCOCH 3 )Cl 3 or Ti(OCOC 6 H 5 )Cl 3 .

Claim 49

A process of claim 46 wherein the titanium compound is TiCl 3 .

Claim 50

A catalyst composition of claim 20 wherein it is prepared by (A) contacting a solution of a magnesium compound in a liquid with a titanium compound; (B) contacting the resulting solution of step (A) with a solid, inert porous carrier to form a catalyst precursor; and, (C) contacting the precursor with the trimethylaluminum.

Claim 51

A catalyst composition of claim 48 wherein the magnesium compound has the empirical formula MgX.sub.2 wherein X is Cl, Br, I or mixtures thereof.

Claim 52

A catalyst composition of claim 49 wherein the magnesium compound is MgCl 2 .

Claim 53

A catalyst composition of claim 50 wherein the liquid is at least one Lewis base.

Claim 54

A catalyst composition of claim 51 wherein the Lewis base is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic carboxylic acids, aromatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic ethers, cyclic ethers and aliphatic ketones.

Claim 55

A catalyst composition of claim 52 wherein the Lewis base is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic ethers and cyclic ethers.

Claim 56

A catalyst composition of claim 53 wherein the Lewis base is tetrahydrofuran.

Claim 57

A catalyst composition of claim 54 wherein the titanium compound is TiCl 3 , TiCl 4 , Ti(OCH 3 )Cl 3 , Ti(OC 6 H 5 )Cl 3 , Ti(OCOCH 3 )Cl 3 or Ti(OCOC 6 H 5 )Cl 3 .

Claim 58

A catalyst composition of claim 55 wherein the titanium compound is TiCl 3 .