1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a process that polymerizes an olefin monomer, and a precatalyst and catalyst useful in such process.
2. Description of Related Art
Polyolefins such as polyethylene polymer and poly(ethylene alpha-olefin) copolymers are widely used in industry. They are desirable for making, for example, containers, tubing, films and sheets for packaging, and synthetic lubricants, fibers, and pipes. Ethylene interpolymers are often blended or otherwise used in combination with other polymers to optimize the balance of properties for desired uses. Such blends may be generated by, for example, employing multiple reactors in series, or post-reactor by co-extrusion, elevated temperature mixing or kneading. Methods for generating such blends are discussed in more detail in, for example, US20060199912 A1.
A particularly valuable subtype of poly(ethylene alpha-olefin) copolymer is a poly(ethylene alpha-olefin) block copolymer or, simply, an olefin block copolymer (OBC). OBCs are characterized as having at least one so-called “hard segment” or block comprising residuals of ethylene monomer and at least one so-called “soft segment” or block comprising residuals of an alpha-olefin (also known as an alpha-olefin and 1-olefin) monomer. OBCs are available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., USA under the trade name INFUSE™ Olefin Block Copolymers. INFUSE™ Olefin Block Copolymers are useful in a variety of forms and applications such as, for example, those listed at www.dow.com/infuse. Preparation of an OBC can involve a process that, among other steps, polymerizes ethylene and the alpha-olefin using different catalysts to form the OBC.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,462 B2 mentions, among other things, a certain process to polymerize olefins comprising reacting olefins with a catalyst system comprising an activator, a metallocene and a second metal compound based on bidentate ligands containing heterocycle moieties, and preferably pyridine or quinoline moieties. U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,462 B2 also mentions a certain composition comprising a metallocene and a second metal compound. U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,462 B2 does not mention or disclose any species of the second metal compound wherein the heterocycle moiety is a quinoline moiety.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,199,255 B2 mentions, among other things, a catalyst precursor, a catalyst system comprising the precursor, and an olefin polymerization method using the catalyst system. U.S. Pat. No. 7,199,255 B2 does not mention or disclose any species of the second metal compound wherein the catalyst precursor contains a quinoline moiety.
WO 02/079207 A2 mentions, among other things, an amido ligand and its synthesis, and use of the amide ligand in a variety of metal complexes, and transition metals in particular. WO 02/079207 A2 also mentions that amido ligand transition metal complexes are expected to find utility as catalysts in numerous stoichiometric and catalytic transformations such as, by way of example and not limitation, hydroamination, olefin hydration, alkane oxidation, dioxygen activation and subsequent olefin epoxidation, dinitrogen activation/reduction/functionalization, olefin polymerization/copolymerization/living polymerization, catalytic C-E bond formation (where E is C, N, O, S, Si, H, and so forth), as well as Heck, Suzuki, and Sonagoshira coupling reactions. WO 02/079207 A2 does not mention or disclose any species of the amido ligand transition metal complex wherein the transition metal is a metal of Group 3, 4, 5, or 6 of the Periodic Table of the Elements.
Shen M., et al., Synthesis and characterization of organoaluminum compounds containing quinolin-8-amine derivatives and their catalytic behaviour for ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone, Dalton Transactions, 2009: 9000-9009, mention certain organoaluminum compounds containing certain 2-substituted, N-substituted quinolin-8-amine derived ligands.
Chemical industry desires new processes and catalysts for polymerizing olefin monomers.