Addition polymerization process using stabilized reduced metal catalysts

Claim 1

A catalyzed addition polymerization process comprising contacting under addition polymerization conditions a polymerizable monomer with a catalyst comprising a metal complex corresponding to the formula: ##STR7## wherein: M is titanium in the + 3 oxidation state; Cp" is a cyclopentadienyl group, or a hydrocarbyl, silyl, halo, halohydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbylmetalloid substituted derivative thereof, said Cp" containing up to 50 nonhydrogen atoms; Z is a divalent moiety comprising oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, boron, or a member of Group 14 of the Periodic Table of the Elements said moiety having up to 30 nonhydrogen atoms; Y is a linking group comprising nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen or sulfur covalently bonded to M and Z through said nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen or sulfur atom, the ligand moiety consisting of --CP"--Z--Y-- being dianionic and having the ionic charges residing formally on Cp" and Y; and L" is a monovalent anionic stabilizing ligand selected from the group consisting of: a) alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, silyl, amido, phosphido, alkoxy, aryloxy, sulfido groups and mixtures thereof, and being further substituted with an amine, phosphine, ether, or thioether containing substituent able to from a coordinate-covalent bond or chelating bond with M, said ligand having up to 50 nonhydrogen atoms; and b) C 3-15 hydrocarbyl groups comprising an ethylenic unsaturation able to form an η3 bond with M, and an activating cocatalyst.