Polymerization of carbon monoxide/olefin with P ligand having polar aryl group

Claim 2

In the process of producing linear alternating polymers by contacting under polymerization conditions carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon in the presence of a catalyst composition formed from a palladium compound, an anion of a non-hydrohalogenic acid having a pKa less than 2 and bidentate phosphorus ligand, the improvement wherein the bidentate phosphorus ligand has the formula R 1 R 2 -P-R-P-R 3 R 4 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently are aryl groups of from 6 to 20 carbon atoms inclusive and R is a divalent bridging group of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms inclusive and of from 2 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive in the phosphorus-phosphorus bridge, with the provision that at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is substituted with a polar group in a position ortho to the phosphorus.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are substituted hydrocarbyl wherein the substituents are polar and R is hydrocarbyl with three carbons in the phosphorus-phosphorus bridge.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently have from 6 to 10 carbon atoms inclusive and the polar sustituents are alkoxy, alkylthio or alkylcarboxy.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein R is --CH 2 --CH 2 --CH 2 --.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are phenyl substituted with alkoxy.

Claim 7

The process of claim 5 wherein the alkoxy is methoxy.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein the alkoxy is ethoxy.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are 2-methoxyphenyl.

Claim 10

The process of claim 5 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are 2,4-dimethoxyphenyl.

Claim 11

In the process of producing linear alternating polymers by contacting under polymerization conditions carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon in the presence of a catalyst composition formed from a palladium compound, an anion of non-hydrohalogenic acid having a pKa less than 2 and a bidentate phosphorus ligand, the improvement wherein the bidentate phosphorus ligand has the formula R 1 R 2 -P-R-P-R 3 R 4 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently are aryl groups of from 6 to 20 carbon atoms inclusive and R is a divalent bridging group of up to 20 carbon atoms inclusive and from 2 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive in the phosphorus-phosphorus bridge, with the proviso that at least one of the R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is substituted with a polar group in a position ortho to the phosphorus, and recovering the linear alternating polymer as globular particles of from about 0.05 mm to about 5 mm in diameter.

Claim 12

In the process of producing linear alternating polymers by contacting under polymerization conditions carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon in the presence of a catalyst composition formed from a palladium compound, an anion of non-hydrohalogenic acid having a pKa less than 2 and a bidentate phosphorus ligand, the improvement wherein the bidentate phosphorus ligand has the formula R 1 R 2 -P-R-P-R 3 R 4 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently are aryl groups of from 6 to 20 carbon atoms inclusive and R is a divalent bridging group of up to 20 carbon atoms inclusive and from 2 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive in the phosphorus-phosphorus bridge, with the proviso that at least one of the R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is substituted with a polar group in a position ortho to the phosphorus, and recovering the linear alternating polymer as globular particles of from about 0.05 mm to about 5 mm in diameter.