Metallocene stabilized alumoxane

Details Metallocene stabilized alumoxane Metallocene stabilized alumoxane

1997-06-27

2001-01-30

Nazario-Gonzalez, Porfirio (Department: 1621)

Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series

Organic compounds

Aluminum containing

C556S043000, C556S175000, C556S179000, C556S182000, C526S943000, C526S160000, C502S103000, C502S117000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06180808

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for producing stabilized alumoxane solutions that are resistant to gel formation. Specifically, the method relates to the use of metallocene catalyst components which, when combined with alumoxane solutions, have the effect of stabilizing such solutions by prolonging the time it takes to form gels.
BACKGROUND
Alumoxane is commonly used as an activator for metallocene catalyst components in the formation of metallocene catalyst systems. A well-known problem associated with alumoxane solutions is the formation of gel or gel-like particles in the solutions as they age. Typically the alumoxane solution will become more and more viscous until the solution completely gels. This typically occurs over a matter of weeks. More concentrated alumoxane solutions form gels more quickly.
The formation of gels in alumoxane solutions creates many serious problems. For example, it is difficult to transfer such solutions through a line. It is also difficult to effectively combine gelled alumoxane solutions with other substances and catalyst systems made with such solutions tend to have lower activity and have been shown to cause increased reactor fouling tendency when used in olefin polymerization.
Gel formation is believed to be associated with continued reaction leading to increased molecular weight of the oligomeric alumoxane structure. Many methods for reducing gel formation have been described. Refrigeration has been shown to reduce the rate of gel formation, however, refrigeration is quite costly. Vigorous shaking of a gelled alumoxane solution temporarily disperses the gels. Gels can partially be removed by decanting the solution. Unfortunately, these methods not only involve extra effort but are not entirely effective.
A number of methods for preparing gel-free or reduced gel alumoxane 5 solutions have been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,137 describes a method of making alumoxane wherein the alumoxane solution is treated with an anhydrous salt and/or hydroxide of an alkali or alkaline earth metal. It is reported that alumoxane solutions made in this way remain gel free for an extended period of time. U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,081 describes a method of removing gels from alumoxane by mixing an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent of the alumoxane with an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent and then separating the precipitated solids from the alumoxane solution. U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,260 describes the use of primary or secondary amines with subsequent heat and filtration to prepare gel-free alumoxane solutions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,229 describes the use of certain electron-rich heteroatom compounds to stabilize alumoxane solutions and reduce gel formation. While these methods may be somewhat effective, it has been found that some catalyst systems made using such stabilized alumoxanes exhibit inferior performance.
The present inventors have found that by adding metallocene to an alumoxane solution, the alumoxane solution surprisingly remains gel free for an extended period of time. Such solutions may be successfully used to prepare catalyst systems that are highly active and that do not cause extensive fouling of the polymerization reactor when used to polymerize olefins.
SUMMARY
This invention relates to a method for stabilizing alumoxane, said method comprising the steps of: (a) combining a metallocene catalyst component with a solution of alumoxane thereby forming a stabilized alumoxane solution; and (b) aging the stabilized alumoxane solution for a time period of at least 24 hours. This invention further relates to a method for producing a catalyst system wherein the stabilized alumoxane produced by the method described above is combined with an additional amount metallocene and optionally a porous support material There is also provided a method for polymerizing olefins comprising contacting the catalyst system described above with olefin monomer(s) under conditions of polymerization.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Generally, the method of the invention involves simply adding one or more metallocene catalyst component to a solution of alumoxane. The resulting stabilized solution may then be aged for a period of time without forming a substantial amount of gels. This period of time may extend up to 5 years or more. Preferably this period of time is greater than 24 hours, more preferably from 24 hours to 5 years, even more preferably from 2 days to 3 years, even more preferably from 1 to 12 months.
As used herein, “aging” simply means allowed to sit without being used as a catalyst system or component. During the aging process, a precipitate may form.
This precipitate may be dispersed by stirring or shaking or may be easily filtered from the solution.
Preferably the alumoxane solution to which the metallocene is added is fresh. As used herein the terms “fresh” and “freshly prepared” when referring to alumoxane means that the alumoxane is not more than four weeks old (i. e., not more than four weeks have passed from the time of preparation), preferably not more than two weeks old, more preferably not more than 1 week old, most preferably not more than 3 days old.
The stability of an alumoxane solution will depend to some extent on its concentration. The more concentrated the solution, the more quickly the solution will gel. Conversely, a less concentrated solution such as a 10 weight percent or less solution, will remain gel-free for a longer period of time.
The alumoxane solutions useful in the practice of this invention are preferably 5 to 50 weight percent alumoxane solutions, more preferably, the weight percent is in the range of from 10 to 30 weight percent methylalumoxane solutions. Methylalumoxane is the preferred alumoxane. These solutions may be prepared by methods well known in the art or conveniently obtained from commercial sources.
Alkylalumoxanes are thought to contain about 4 to 20 of the repeating units:
where R is a C
1
-C
8
alkyl including mixed alkyls. Particularly preferred are the compounds where R is methyl. There are a variety of methods for preparing alumoxane, non-limiting examples of which are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,208, 4,952,540, 5,091,352, 5,206,199, 5,204,419, 4,874,734, 4,924,018, 4,908,463, 4,968,827, 5,308,815, 5,329,032, 5,248,801, 5,235,081, 5,157,137, 5,103,031 and EP-A-0 561 476, EP-B1-0 279 586, EP-A-0 594-218 and WO 94/10180, all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
The amount of metallocene added to the alumoxane solution may vary widely but preferably the molar ratio of the aluminum of the alumoxane to the transition metal of the metallocene is preferably in the range of from about 1000:1 to about 10:1, preferably about 500:1 to about 25:1, even more preferably about 200:1 to about 50:1 and most preferably about 150:1 to about 50:1.
The metallocene may be added as a solution in an aromatic solvent such as toluene or as a solid at any temperature. Preferably the mixture is stirred thoroughly until all solids are dissolved.
Any metallocene may be used in the practice of the invention. Metallocenes are typically those bulky ligand transition metal compounds derivable from the formula:
[L]
m
M[A]
n
where L is a bulky ligand; A is leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that the total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency. Preferably the catalyst is four co-ordinate such that the compound is ionizable to a 1
+
charge state.
The ligands L and A may be bridged to each other, and if two ligands L and/or A are present, they may be bridged. The metallocene compound may be full-sandwich compounds having two or more ligands L which may be cyclopentadienyl ligands or cyclopentadiene derived ligands or half-sandwich compounds having one ligand L, which is a cyclopentadienyl ligand or derived ligand.
Metallocene compounds generally contain a multiplicity of bonded atoms, preferably carbon atoms, and typically contain a cyclic structure such as, for example, a cyclopentadienyl ligand, substituted or unsubst

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