Polymerization process using a new supported polymerization catalyst

Claim 2

A process for polymerizing α-olefins either alone or in combination with one or more other olefins, said process comprising contacting said α-olefins either alone, or in combination with one or more other olefins, with a supported reaction product obtained by reacting at least one metallocene of a metal of Group IVB, VB and VIB of the Periodic Table of Elements at least one non-metallocene transition metal compound of a metal of Group IVB, VB, and VIB and an alumoxane in the presence of a support material consisting essentially of silica, alumina or silica-alumina.

Claim 3

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the support is silica.

Claim 4

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the metallocene is selected from titanium, zirconium, hafnium metallocenes and mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the alumoxane is methylalumoxane.

Claim 6

The process in accordance with claim 3 wherein the non-metallocene transition metal compound is selected from titanium tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, and vanadium oxytrichloride and mixtures thereof.

Claim 7

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the aluminum to transition metal molar ratio in the supported product is in the range of 1:1 to about 300:1.

Claim 8

The process in accordance with claim 6 wherein the molar ratio is in the range of 50:1 to 5:1.

Claim 9

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the metallocene is represented by the formulas (Cp).sub.m MR.sub.n X.sub.q (I) (C.sub.5 R'.sub.k).sub.g R".sub.s (C.sub.5 R'.sub.k)MQ.sub.3-g and(II) R".sub.s (C.sub.5 R'.sub.k).sub.2 MQ' (III) wherein Cp is a cyclopentadienyl ring, M is a Group IVB, VB, and VIB transition metal, R is a hydrocarbyl group or hydrocarboxy having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, X is a halogen, m=1 to 3, n=0 to 3, q=0 to 3, and the sum of m+n +q is equal to the oxidation state of M, (C 5 R' k ) is a cyclopentadienyl or a substituted cyclopentadienyl; each R is the same or different and is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical selected from alkyl, alkenyl aryl, alkylaryl or arylalkyl radicals containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or two carbon atoms are joined together to form a C 4 -C 6 ring, R" is a C 1 -C 4 alkylene radical, a dialkyl germanium or silicon or an alkyl phosphine or amine radical bridging two (C 5 R' k ) rings; Q is a hydrocarbyl radical selected from aryl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryls, or arylalkyl radicals having from 1-20 carbon atoms, hydrocarboxy radical having from 1-20 carbon atoms or halogen and can be the same or different from each other; Q' is an alkylidiene radical having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; s is 0 or 1; g is 0, 1, or 2; s is 0 when g is 0; k is 4 when s is 1 and k is 5 when s is 0 and wherein the non-metallocene transition metal compound is represented by TrX' 4-q (OR') q' TrX' 4-q R q 2 , VOX' 3 , and 0=q≦4, VO(OR') 3 , wherein Tr is a Group IVB, VB or VIB metal, X' is halogen and R 1 is an alkyl, aryl, or cycloalkyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms, and R 2 is an alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl, and substituted aralkyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms.

Claim 10

The process in accordance with claim 8 wherein the metallocene is selected from bis(cyclopentadienyl) zirconium dichloride, bis(cyclopentadienyl) zirconium methyl chloride, bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium methyl chloride, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl, bis (n-butyl-cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, bis(n-butylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium methyl chloride, bis(n-butyl-cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dimethyl, bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium diphenyl, bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride, bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium methyl chloride, bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium dimethyl, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)titanium diphenyl, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)titanium diphenyl, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)titanium methyl chloride, bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)titanium dimethyl, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)titanium diphenyl, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)titanium methyl chloride, bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)titanium dimethyl, bis(n-butyl-cyclopentadienyl)titanium diphenyl, bis(n-butyl-cyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride and mixtures thereof and the non-metallocene compound as selected from titanium tetrachloride, vanadium tetrachloride, and vanadium oxytrichloride.

Claim 11

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein an aluminum alkyl cocatalyst is employed.

Claim 12

A process for polymerizing α-olefins either alone or in combination with one or more other olefins, said process comprising contacting said α-olefins either alone or in combination with one or more other olefins, with a supported catalyst comprising a supported reaction product of at least one metallocene of a metal of Group IVB, VB and VIB of the Periodic Table of Elements a non-metallocene compound of a metal of Group IVB, VB, and VIB, and an alumoxane, said method comprising adding to a slurry of a support material consisting essentially of silica, alumina or silica-alumina in an insert hydrocarbon solvent, an alumoxane in an inert hydrocarbon solvent, at least one metallocene, and at least one non-metallocene transition metal compound.

Claim 13

A process for polymerizing α-olefins either alone or in combination with one or more other olefins, said process comprising contacting said α-olefins either alone or in combination with one or more other olefins, with a supported catalyst comprising a supported reaction product of at least one metallocene of a metal of Group IVB, VB and VIB of the Periodic Table of Elements a non-metallocene compound of a metal of Group IVB, VB, and VIB, and an alumoxane, said method comprising adding to a slurry of a support material consisting essentially of silica, alumina or silica-alumina in an insert hydrocarbon solvent, an alumoxane in an inert hydrocarbon solvent, at least one metallocene, and at least one non-metallocene transition metal compound.

Claim 14

The process in accordance with claim 11 wherein the molar ratio of the alumoxane to metallocene based on the aluminum and metal is in the range of 300:1 to about 1:1 and the molar ratio of the metallocene compound to the non-metallocene transition metal compound is in the range of about 100 to about 0.01 moles metallocene per mole of non-metallocene transition metal compound.