Polymerization catalyst activators, method of preparing, and...

Catalyst – solid sorbent – or support therefor: product or process – Catalyst or precursor therefor – Plural component system comprising a - group i to iv metal...

Reexamination Certificate

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C502S103000, C502S114000, C502S152000, C526S160000, C526S165000, C526S943000, C526S163000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06703338

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to polymerization catalyst activator compounds, to methods of making these activator compounds, to polymerization catalyst systems containing these activator compounds, and to polymerization processes utilizing the same. More specifically the activators of the invention include a heterocyclic compound, which may or may not be substituted, and an aluminum alkyl or an aluminoxane. Supported activators of the invention include a heterocyclic compound, which may or may not be substituted, combined with an alkylaluminum or aluminoxane, and a support material, preferably a silica support material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Polymerization catalyst compounds are typically combined with an activator (or co-catalyst) to yield compositions having a vacant coordination site that will coordinate, insert, and polymerize olefins. Metallocene polymerization catalysts are typically activated with aluminoxanes which are generally oligomeric compounds containing —Al(R)—O— subunits, where R is an alkyl group. The most common alumoxane activator is methylalumoxane (MAO), produced by the hydrolysis of trimethylaluminum (TMA). MAO, however, is expensive to utilize because it must be present in great excess relative to the metallocene and because of the high cost of TMA. In addition, MAO tends to be unstable as it precipitates out of solution over time.
In addition, metallocene polymerization catalyst systems, utilized in industrial slurry or gas phases processes, are typically immobilized on a carrier or support, for example silica or alumina. Metallocenes are supported to enhance the morphology of the forming polymeric particles such that they achieve a shape and density that improves reactor operability and ease of handling. Metallocene catalysts, however, typically exhibit lower activity when supported when compared to the corresponding non-supported catalyst systems.
Alternative activators for metallocenes and other single-site polymerization catalysts have been discovered in recent years. For example, perfluorophenyl aluminum and borane complexes containing one anionic nitrogen containing group may activate metallocenes. For example, R. E. LaPointe, G. R. Roof, K. A. Abboud, J. Klosin, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 9560-9561, and WO 01/23442 A1 report the synthesis of (C6F5)3Al(imidazole)Al(C6F5)3][HNR′R″]. In addition, G. Kehr, R. Fröhlich, B. Wibbeling, G. Erker, Chem. Eur. J. 2000, 6, No.2, 258-266 report the synthesis of (N-Pyrrolyl)B(C6F5)2.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,147,173 and 6,211,105 disclose a polymerization process and polymerization catalyst where the catalyst includes an activator complex having a Group 13 element and at least one halogenated, nitrogen-containing aromatic group ligand.
In light of the high cost and low stability of MAO and of the reduced activity when metallocenes are supported, there is a need in the art for new inexpensive, stable and supportable polymerization catalyst activator compounds. There is also a need in the art for methods for preparing these activator compounds, polymerization catalyst systems including these activator compounds and for polymerization processes utilizing the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The activator compounds of the invention, in one embodiment, include a heterocyclic compound, which may or may not be substituted, utilized in combination with an alkylaluminum or aluminoxane and optionally a support material, preferably silica.
In another embodiment, the activator of the invention includes a heterocyclic compound having one or more heteroatoms selected form Group 15 or 16, preferably the heteroatom(s) is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. The heterocyclic compounds may be unsubstituted, or one or more positions may be substituted. In a preferred embodiment, one or more positions on the heterocyclic compound is substituted with a halogen atom or a halogen containing group, where the halogen is chlorine, bromine or fluorine, preferably bromine or fluorine, most preferably fluorine.
In other embodiments, the invention provides for methods of preparing these activator compositions, for utilizing the activators in olefin(s) polymerization processes, and for polymers produced therefrom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The polymerization catalyst activator of the invention includes a heterocyclic compound, which may be unsubstituted or substituted, utilized in combination with an alkylaluminum or an aluminoxane, and an optional support material.
For the purposes of this patent specification, term “activator” is used interchangeably with the term “co-catalyst,” the term “catalyst” refers to a metal compound that when combined with an activator polymerizes olefins, and the term “catalyst system” refers to the combination of a catalyst, an activator, and an optional support material.
In one embodiment, the ring of the heterocyclic compound contains at least one atom selected from Group 15 or 16 of the Period Table of the Elements. More preferably the ring of the heterocyclic compound includes at least one nitrogen, oxygen, and/or sulfur atom, and more preferably includes at least one nitrogen atom. Preferably, the heterocyclic compound includes 4 or more ring members and more preferably 5 or more ring members.
The heterocyclic compound may be unsubstituted or substituted with one or a combination of substituent groups. Examples of suitably substituents include hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radicals, cycloalkyl radicals, aryl radicals, aryl substituted alkyl radicals, acyl radicals, aroyl radicals, alkoxy radicals, aryloxy radicals, alkylthio radicals, dialkylamino radicals, alkoxycarbonyl radicals, aryloxycarbonyl radicals, carbomoyl radicals, alkyl- or dialkyl- carbamoyl radicals, acyloxy radicals, acylamino radicals, aroylamino radicals, straight, branched or cyclic, alkylene radicals, or any combination thereof. The substituents groups may also be substituted with halogens, particularly fluorine or bromine, or heteroatoms or the like.
Non-limiting examples of substituents include methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, benzyl or phenyl groups and the like, including all their isomers, for example tertiary butyl, isopropyl, and the like. Other examples of substituents include fluoromethyl, fluoroethyl, difluoroethyl, iodopropyl, bromohexyl or chlorobenzyl.
In one embodiment, the heterocyclic compound is unsubstituted. In another embodiment one or more positions on the heterocyclic compound is substituted with a halogen atom or a halogen atom containing group, for example a halogenated aryl group. Preferably the halogen is chlorine, bromine or fluorine, more preferably fluorine or bromine and even more preferably the halogen is fluorine.
Non-limiting examples of heterocyclic compounds utilized in the activator of the invention include substituted and unsubstituted pyrroles, imidazoles, pyrazoles, pyrrolines, pyrrolidines, purines, carbazoles, and indoles, phenyl indoles, 2,5, dimethyl pyrroles, 3-pentafluorophenyl pyrrole, 4,5,6,7 tetrafluoroindole or 3,4 difluoropyrroles.
In a preferred embodiment, the heterocyclic compound is an indole represented by Formula (I).
In Formula I, the indole includes substituent groups X2-X7. Each X2-X7 is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, preferably chlorine, bromine or fluorine, more preferably bromine or fluorine and most preferably fluorine, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxide group, an aryloxide group or an alkyl substituted aryl group wherein the groups may be halogenated or partially halogenated, preferably containing a fluorine atom and/or a bromine atom. In one embodiment, the indole is not perhalogenated. Preferably, Each X2-X7 is independently hydrogen, halogen, an alkyl group, a halogenated or partially halogenated alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogenated or partially halogenated aryl group, an aryl substituted alkyl group or a halogenated or partially halogenated aryl substituted alkyl group. Preferably the halogen is chlorine, bromine or fluorine, more preferably bromine or

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