Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane complexes and catalysts derived therefrom

Claim 2

A borane complex comprising (a) tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and (b) at least one complexing compound selected from the group alcohol, mercaptan, silanols, and oximes.

Claim 3

The borane complex according to claim 1, having the general formula: (C.sub.6 F.sub.5).sub.3 B.(YXH).sub.q wherein X is oxygen, or sulfur; q is 1 to 3; Y is a hydrogen atom, R 1 --, (R 2 ) 3 Si--, or (R 3 ) 2 C═N--; R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 500 carbon atoms, and may contain a divalent oxygen and further may be a halogen-containing hydrocarbyl group; R 2 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, further R 2 may contain a SiO-- group; and R 3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, R 3 may be a hydrogen atom provided both R 3 groups selected are not hydrogen atoms.

Claim 4

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the R 1 group is CH 3 OC 2 H 4 --, t-butylcyclohexyl, isopropyl, allyl, benzyl, methyl, ethyl, CF 3 CF 2 (C 2 F 4 ) n C 2 H 4 --, where n has an average value of 3.5, n-C 1 18 H 37 --, or poly-α-olefin oligomer containing 2 to 100 olefin monomer units.

Claim 5

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein Y is (t-C 4 H 9 )(CH 3 ) 2 Si-- or ((CH 3 ) 3 SiO) 3 Si--.

Claim 6

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the borane complex is (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.R 1 OH.

Claim 7

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the borane complex is (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.R 1 SH.

Claim 8

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the borane complex is (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.(R 2 ) 3 SiOH.

Claim 9

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the borane complex is (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.(R 3 ) 2 C:NOH.

Claim 10

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the borane complex is (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.3H 2 O.

Claim 11

The borane complex according to claim 1, wherein the borane complex is (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.H 2 O.

Claim 12

A catalyst comprising (a) a neutral borane complex having the formula (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.(XYH) q and (b) a Group IVB organometallic compound having the formula (Cp) p M(R 4 ) 4-p wherein M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium; p is 1 or 2; q is 1 to 3; Y is a hydrogen atom, R 1 --, (R 2 ) 3 Si--, or (R 3 ) 2 C═N--; Cp is a cyclopentadienyl ligand, wherein each carbon atom in the ligand may be, independently, substituted with a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl radicals, hydrocarbyl-substituted metalloid radicals wherein the metalloid is selected from Group IVA of the hydrocarbyl and substituted-hydrocarbyl radicals contain 1 to 20 carbon atoms and further can include straight and branched alkyl groups, cyclic hydrocarbon groups, alkyl-substituted cyclic hydrocarbon groups, aromatic groups or alkyl-substituted aromatic groups; one or two pairs of adjacent hydrogen atoms of the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be substituted with one or two --(CH) 4 groups to form indenyl or fluorenyl radicals, respectively, or compounds in which one or two methylene rings having the general formula (CH 2 ) n wherein n is 3 to 6 in the cyclopentadienyl ligand; further, when p is 2 the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be combined into one bidentate ligand molecule by connecting the cyclopentadienyl ligands by an organic or organometalloid group; R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 500 carbon atoms, and may contain a divalent oxygen and further may be a halogen-containing hydrocarbyl group; R 2 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, further R 2 may contain a SiO-- group; R 3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, R 3 may be a hydrogen atom provided both R 3 groups selected are not hydrogen atoms; and R 4 is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl or substituted-hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and may be a straight or branched alkyl group, and if sufficiently large enough, a cyclic hydrocarbyl group, an alkyl-substituted cyclohydrocarbyl group, an aromatic group, an aromatic-substituted alkyl group, or an alkylsubstituted aromatic group and also include trisubstituted organometalloid groups of Group IVA elements wherein each hydrocarbyl group on the metalloid contains from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 13

A catalyst comprising (a) a neutral borane complex having the formula (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.(XYH) q and (b) a Group IVB organometallic compound having the formula (Cp) p M(R 4 ) 4-p wherein M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium; p is 1 or 2; q is 1 to 3; Y is a hydrogen atom, R 1 --, (R 2 ) 3 Si--, or (R 3 ) 2 C═N--; Cp is a cyclopentadienyl ligand, wherein each carbon atom in the ligand may be, independently, substituted with a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl radicals, hydrocarbyl-substituted metalloid radicals wherein the metalloid is selected from Group IVA of the hydrocarbyl and substituted-hydrocarbyl radicals contain 1 to 20 carbon atoms and further can include straight and branched alkyl groups, cyclic hydrocarbon groups, alkyl-substituted cyclic hydrocarbon groups, aromatic groups or alkyl-substituted aromatic groups; one or two pairs of adjacent hydrogen atoms of the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be substituted with one or two --(CH) 4 groups to form indenyl or fluorenyl radicals, respectively, or compounds in which one or two methylene rings having the general formula (CH 2 ) n wherein n is 3 to 6 in the cyclopentadienyl ligand; further, when p is 2 the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be combined into one bidentate ligand molecule by connecting the cyclopentadienyl ligands by an organic or organometalloid group; R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 500 carbon atoms, and may contain a divalent oxygen and further may be a halogen-containing hydrocarbyl group; R 2 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, further R 2 may contain a SiO-- group; R 3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, R 3 may be a hydrogen atom provided both R 3 groups selected are not hydrogen atoms; and R 4 is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl or substituted-hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and may be a straight or branched alkyl group, and if sufficiently large enough, a cyclic hydrocarbyl group, an alkyl-substituted cyclohydrocarbyl group, an aromatic group, an aromatic-substituted alkyl group, or an alkylsubstituted aromatic group and also include trisubstituted organometalloid groups of Group IVA elements wherein each hydrocarbyl group on the metalloid contains from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 14

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein Cp is a substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, or fluorenyl group.

Claim 15

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein p is 2 and Cp is a cyclopentadienyl group.

Claim 16

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein p is 2 and Cp is a indenyl group.

Claim 17

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein p is 1 and Cp is a pentamethyl cyclopentadienyl group.

Claim 18

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein p is 2 and Cp is a fluorenyl group.

Claim 19

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein XY is an oligomeric O-(poly-α-olefin) group.

Claim 20

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein XY is OC 18 H 37 .

Claim 21

The catalyst according to claim 11, wherein XY is SC 18 H 37 .

Claim 22

A catalyst comprising (a) a borane complex that is an acidic salt wherein the anion portion of the acidic salt has the formula (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.XY - and (b) a Group IVB organometallic compound having the formula (Cp) p M(R 4 ) 4-p wherein M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium; p is 1 or 2; Y is a hydrogen atom, R 1 --, (R 2 ) 3 Si--, or (R 3 ) 2 C═N--; Cp is a cyclopentadienyl ligand, wherein each carbon atom in the ligand may be, independently, substituted with a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl radicals, hydrocarbyl-substituted metalloid radicals wherein the metalloid is selected from Group IVA of the periodic table of the elements, and wherein the hydrocarbyl and substituted-hydrocarbyl radicals contain 1 to 20 carbon atoms and further can include straight and branched alkyl groups, cyclic hydrocarbon groups, alkyl-substituted cyclic hydrocarbon groups, aromatic groups or alkyl-substituted aromatic groups; one or two pairs of adjacent hydrogen atoms of the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be substituted with one or two --(CH) 4 groups to form indenyl or fluorenyl radicals, respectively, or compounds in which one or two methylene rings having the general formula (CH 2 ) n wherein n is 3 to 6 in the cyclopentadienyl ligand; further, when p is 2 the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be combined into one bidentate ligand molecule by connecting the cyclopentadienyl ligands by an organic or organometalloid group; R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 500 carbon atoms, and may contain a divalent oxygen and further may be a halogen-containing hydrocarbyl group; R 2 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, further R 2 may contain a SiO-- group; R 3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, R 3 may be a hydrogen atom provided both R 3 groups selected are not hydrogen atoms; and R 4 is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl or substituted-hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and may be a straight or branched alkyl group, and if sufficiently large enough, a cyclic hydrocarbyl group, an alkyl-substituted cyclohydrocarbyl group, an aromatic group, an aromatic-substituted alkyl group, or an alkylsubstituted aromatic group and also include trisubstituted organometalloid groups of Group IVA elements wherein each hydrocarbyl group on the metalloid contains from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 23

A catalyst comprising (a) a borane complex that is an acidic salt wherein the anion portion of the acidic salt has the formula (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B.XY - and (b) a Group IVB organometallic compound having the formula (Cp) p M(R 4 ) 4-p wherein M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium; p is 1 or 2; Y is a hydrogen atom, R 1 --, (R 2 ) 3 Si--, or (R 3 ) 2 C═N--; Cp is a cyclopentadienyl ligand, wherein each carbon atom in the ligand may be, independently, substituted with a radical selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl radicals, hydrocarbyl-substituted metalloid radicals wherein the metalloid is selected from Group IVA of the periodic table of the elements, and wherein the hydrocarbyl and substituted-hydrocarbyl radicals contain 1 to 20 carbon atoms and further can include straight and branched alkyl groups, cyclic hydrocarbon groups, alkyl-substituted cyclic hydrocarbon groups, aromatic groups or alkyl-substituted aromatic groups; one or two pairs of adjacent hydrogen atoms of the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be substituted with one or two --(CH) 4 groups to form indenyl or fluorenyl radicals, respectively, or compounds in which one or two methylene rings having the general formula (CH 2 ) n wherein n is 3 to 6 in the cyclopentadienyl ligand; further, when p is 2 the cyclopentadienyl ligand may be combined into one bidentate ligand molecule by connecting the cyclopentadienyl ligands by an organic or organometalloid group; R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 500 carbon atoms, and may contain a divalent oxygen and further may be a halogen-containing hydrocarbyl group; R 2 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, further R 2 may contain a SiO-- group; R 3 is independently a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to 25 carbon atoms, R 3 may be a hydrogen atom provided both R 3 groups selected are not hydrogen atoms; and R 4 is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl or substituted-hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and may be a straight or branched alkyl group, and if sufficiently large enough, a cyclic hydrocarbyl group, an alkyl-substituted cyclohydrocarbyl group, an aromatic group, an aromatic-substituted alkyl group, or an alkylsubstituted aromatic group and also include trisubstituted organometalloid groups of Group IVA elements wherein each hydrocarbyl group on the metalloid contains from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.