Process for polymerizing olefins in the presence of a catalyst prepared from organomagnesium compound, organic hydroxyl-containing compound, reducing halide source and transition metal compound

Claim 1

In a process for the polymerization of one or more polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers containing one or more polymerizable α-olefins under Ziegler polymerization conditions wherein the polymerization is conducted in the presence of a transition metal-containing catalyst and at least one aluminum cocatalyst or activator compound represented by the formula Al(R 3 ) 3-a (X') a wherein R 3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group; X' is a halogen; and a has a value of from zero to 2; the improvement which comprises employing as the transition metal-containing catalyst an unseparated catalytic product resulting from (I) admixing in an inert hydrocarbon diluent and in an atmosphere which excludes moisture and oxygen (A) at least one hydrocarbon soluble organomagnesium material represented by the formula R 2 Mg.xAl(R') 3 wherein each R is independently a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, each R' is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbyloxy group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; and x has a value zero to about 2; and (B) at least one organic hydroxyl-containing material represented by the formula ROH wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms thereby forming a complex or reaction product and subsequently adding: (C) at least one reducing halide source represented by the formula Al(R 3 ) 3-m X m wherein each R 3 is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, X is a halogen and m has a value from 1 to 2; and (D) at least one Titanium (Ti) compound represented by the formula Ti(OR")4; R" is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; and (II) heating the resultant mixture at a temperture of from about 35? C. up to the boiling point of the inert hydrocarbon diluent, for a time to permit substantial reaction of the resultant mixture as indicated by a change in color of the mixture; and wherein (1) the components are added in the order (A+B), (C) and (D) or (A+B), (D) and (C); and the components are employed in quantities so as to provide the following atomic ratios Mg:Ti of from about 3:1 to about 50:1; Cl:Mg of from about 2:1 to about 5:1; and the OH:total number of hydrocarbyl groups attached to a metal atom in component (A) is from about 0.8:1 to about 1.2:1;