Process for producing a styrenic polymer

Claim 2

A process for producing a styrenic polymer having a high degree of syndiotactic configuration, comprising polymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, alkylstyrenes, alkoxystyrenes, halogenated styrenes and vinylbenzoate esters in the presence of a catalyst comprising (A) a titanium compound having formula (I) TiR.sup.1 XYZ (I) wherein R 1 is a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; and X, Y and Z, independently of one another, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioaryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, or said titanium compound has the formula (II) Ti(R.sup.2).sub.2 R.sup.3 R.sup.4 (II) wherein each R 2 is identical and is a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; R 3 and R 4 are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioaryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom or an amino group; and R 2 may be crosslinked by an alkylidene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkylsilyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 silicon atoms or a germanium-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 germanium ions; and (B) an ionic compound comprising a non-coordinate anion and a cation having the formula (V) M.sup.2 R.sup.8 R.sup.9 R.sup.10 (V) wherein M 2 is a silyl cation or germanium cation, and R 8 , R 9 and R 10 , which may be the same or different, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1, wherein said cation of component (B) is a silyl cation.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2, wherein said silyl cation is selected from the group consisting of triphenylsilyl cation, trimethoxysilyl cation, tri(thioisopropyl)silyl cation, trimethylsilyl cation, 4,4',4"-tri(methoxyphenyl)silyl cation, tri(tolyl)silyl cation and 4,4',4"-tri(chlorophenyl)silyl cation.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1, wherein said cation of component (B) is a germanium cation.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic diads of at least 75%.

Claim 7

The process of claim 5, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic diads of at least 85%.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic pentads of at least 30%.

Claim 9

The process of claim 7, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic pentads of at least 50%.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1, wherein said process produces at least 5.1 kg (polymer)/g (Ti).

Claim 11

The process of claim 9, wherein said process produces 12.0-270.0 kg (polymer)/g (Ti).

Claim 12

The process of claim 10, wherein said process produces 80.3-270 kg (polymer)/g (Ti).

Claim 13

A process for producing a styrenic polymer having a high degree of syndiotactic configuration, comprising polymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, alkylstyrenes, alkoxystyrenes, halogenated styrenes and vinylbenzoate esters in the presence of a catalyst comprising (A) a titanium compound having formula (I) TiR.sup.1 XYZ (I) wherein R 1 is a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; and X, Y and Z, independently of one another, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioaryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, or said titanium compound has the formula (II) Ti(R.sup.2).sub.2 R.sup.3 R.sup.4 (II) wherein each R 2 is identical and is a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; R 3 and R 4 are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioaryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom or an amino group; and R 2 may be crosslinked by an alkylidene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkylsilyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 silicon atoms or a germanium-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 germanium ions; and (B) an ionic compound comprising a non-coordinate anion and a cation having the formula (V) M.sup.2 R.sup.8 R.sup.9 R.sup.10 (V) wherein M 2 is a carbonium cation, silyl cation or germanium cation, and R 8 , R 9 and R 10 , which may be the same or different, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and (C) an alkylating agent.

Claim 14

A process for producing a styrenic polymer having a high degree of syndiotactic configuration, comprising polymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, alkylstyrenes, alkoxystyrenes, halogenated styrenes and vinylbenzoate esters in the presence of a catalyst comprising (A) a titanium compound having formula (I) TiR.sup.1 XYZ (I) wherein R 1 is a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; and X, Y and Z, independently of one another, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioaryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, or said titanium compound has the formula (II) Ti(R.sup.2).sub.2 R.sup.3 R.sup.4 (II) wherein each R 2 is identical and is a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a fluorenyl group or a substituted fluorenyl group; R 3 and R 4 are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a thioaryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom or an amino group; and R 2 may be crosslinked by an alkylidene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkylsilyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 silicon atoms or a germanium-containing hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 germanium ions; and (B) an ionic compound comprising a non-coordinate anion and a cation having the formula (V) M.sup.2 R.sup.8 R.sup.9 R.sup.10 (V) wherein M 2 is a carbonium cation, silyl cation or germanium cation, and R 8 , R 9 and R 10 , which may be the same or different, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and (C) an alkylating agent.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12, wherein said cation of component (B) is a silyl cation.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13, wherein said silyl cation is selected from the group consisting of triphenylsilyl cation, trimethoxysilyl cation, tri(thioisopropyl)silyl cation, trimethylsilyl cation, 4,4',4"-tri(methoxyphenyl)silyl cation, tri(tolyl)silyl cation and 4,4',4"-tri(chlorophenyl)silyl cation.

Claim 17

The process of claim 12, wherein said cation of component (B) is a germanium cation.

Claim 18

The process of claim 12, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic diads of at least 75%.

Claim 19

The process of claim 16, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic diads of at least 85%.

Claim 20

The process of claim 12, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic pentads of at least 30%.

Claim 21

The process of claim 18, wherein said styrenic polymer has a proportion of racemic pentads of at least 50%.

Claim 22

The process of claim 12, wherein said process produces at least 5.1 kg (polymer)/g (Ti).

Claim 23

The process of claim 20, wherein said process produces 12.0-270.0 kg (polymer)/g (Ti).

Claim 24

The process of claim 21, wherein said process produces 80.3-270 kg (polymer)/g (Ti).

Claim 25

The process of claim 2, wherein said titanium compound has formula (I).

Claim 26

The process of claim 4, wherein said titanium compound has formula (I).

Claim 27

The process of claim 13, wherein said titanium compound has formula (I).

Claim 28

The process of claim 15, wherein said titanium compound has formula (I).