Polymerization process utilizing organometal catalyst compositions and the polymer produced thereby

Claim 1

A polymerization process comprising contacting at least one monomer and a catalyst composition under polymerization conditions to produce a polymer; wherein said catalyst composition is produced by the process comprising contacting at least one organometal compound, at least one organoaluminum compound, and at least one fluorided solid oxide compound to produce said catalyst composition, wherein said organometal compound has the following general formula: (X 1 )(X 2 )(X 3 )(X 4 )M 1 wherein M 1 is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium; wherein (X 1 ) is independently selected from the group consisting of cyclopentadienyls, indenyls, fluorenyls, substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, and substituted fluorenyls; wherein substituents on said substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, and substituted fluorenyls of (X 1 ) are selected from the group consisting of aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic and cyclic groups, silyl groups, alkyl halide groups, halides, organometallic groups, phosphorus groups, nitrogen groups, silicon, phosphorus, boron, and germanium; wherein at least one substituent on (X 1 ) can be a bridging group which connects (X 1 ) and (X 2 ); wherein (X 3 ) and (X 4 ) are independently selected from the group consisting of halides, aliphatic groups, substituted aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, substituted cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, amido groups, substituted amido groups, phosphido groups, substituted phosphido groups, alkyloxide groups, substituted alkyloxide groups, aryloxide groups, substituted aryloxide groups, organometallic groups, and substituted organometallic groups; wherein (X 2 ) is selected from the group consisting of cyclopentadienyls, indenyls, fluorenyls, substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, substituted fluorenyls, halides, aliphatic groups, substituted aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, substituted cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, amido groups, substituted amido groups, phosphido groups, substituted phosphido groups, alkyloxide groups, substituted alkyloxide groups, aryloxide groups, substituted aryloxide groups, organometallic groups, and substituted organometallic groups; wherein substituents on (X 2 ) are selected from the group consisting of aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, silyl groups, alkyl halide groups, halides, organometallic groups, phosphorus groups, nitrogen groups, silicon, phosphorus, boron, and germanium; wherein at least one substituuent on (X 2 ) can be a bridging group which connects (X 1 ) and (X 2 ); wherein said organoaluminum compound has the general formula: Al(X 5 ) n (X 6 ) 3−n wherein (X 5 ) is a hydrocarbyl having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; wherein (X 6 ) is a halide, hydride, or alkoxide; and wherein “n” is a number from 1 to 3 inclusive; and wherein said fluorided solid oxide compound comprises fluoride and at least one solid oxide compound; wherein said solid oxide compound is selected from the group consisting of silica-titania and silica-zirconia; and wherein there is a substantial absence of organoborates and aluminoxanes.