Abstract: Isospecific and/or syndiospecific catalysts and processes for the propagation of an isotactic and/or syndiotactic polymer chain derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or is a substituted vinyl compound. The catalysts comprise a stereorigid, stereodirected and stereolocked metallocene and/or metallocene cation catalysts, characterized by having .beta. stereodirecting substituents and .alpha. stereolocking substituents such that the catalysts have overall either C.sub.s or C.sub.2 (or pseudo-C.sub.s or C.sub.2) symmetry and such that the substituents define the orientation of the growing polymer chain end and resulting in tactioselectivity of successive monomer additions. Methods are also described for the preparation and use of these unique catalysts.

Abstract: This invention is for a catalyst system for polymerization of olefins using an ionic metallocene catalyst with aluminum alkyl. The metallocene catalyst is an ion pair formed from a neutral metallocene compound and an ionizing compound. The invention can be used in any method of producing ionic metallocene catalysts. Use of aluminum alkyl with an ionic metallocene catalyst eliminates the need for using methylaluminoxane (MAO). Catalysts produced by the method of this invention have high activity. The invention reduces catalyst poisons which cause low activity, no activity or uncontrolled polymerizations. Polymerization using this catalyst system are reproducible and controllable.

Abstract: Catalysts comprising (a) derivatives of mono, bi and tricyclopentadienyl coordination complexes with a transition metal and (b) an alumoxane are employed in a process of producing polyolefins of controlled molecular weight.

Abstract: This invention is for a catalyst system comprising a neutral metallocene compound, an aluminum alkyl and a Lewis acid. The Lewis acid must be of sufficient acidity to ionize a neutral metallocene compound to form a cationic metallocene catalyst. The ligands of the Lewis acid should not be reactive with the metallocene cation. Any metallocene catalyst compound having two cyclopentadienyl rings, substituted or unsubstituted, attached to a transition metal which can be ionized by a Lewis acid would be useful in this invention. The invention is also for the process of making the catalyst system and the process for using the catalyst system in polymerization of olefins. The metallocene is contacted with the Lewis acid. The aluminum alkyl is contacted with the olefin. The two mixtures are contacted with each other under polymerization conditions.

Abstract: This invention is for a catalyst system for polymerization of olefins using an ionic metallocene catalyst with aluminum alkyl. The metallocene catalyst is an ion pair formed from a neutral metallocene compound and an ionizing compound. The invention can be used in any method of producing ionic metallocene catalyst. Use of aluminum alkyl with an ionic metallocene catalyst eliminates the need for using methylaluminoxane (MAO). Catalysts produced by the method of this invention have high activity. The invention reduces catalyst poisons which cause low activity, no activity or uncontrolled polymerizations. Polymerizations using this catalyst system are reproducible and controllable.

Abstract: The invention provides for highly crystalline syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a high percentage of racemic (r) dyads. The high crystallinity may be due to the polymerization mechanism of metallocene catalysts of a particular structure which appear to produce syndiotactic polypropylene of a new microstructure.

Abstract: Isospecific and/or syndiospecific catalysts and processes for the propagation or an isotactic and/or syndiotactic polymer chain derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or is a substituted vinyl compound. The catalysts comprise a double-conformationally locked metallocene and/or metallocene cation catalysts, characterized by having sterically dissimilar substituents such that the catalysts have overall either C.sub.s or C.sub.2 (or pseudo-C.sub.s or C.sub.2) symmetrically distributed. Methods are also described for the preparation and use of these unique catalysts.

Abstract: This invention is for a metallocene catalyst component useful in preparing isotactic polyolefins, a catalyst system using this component and a process for polymerizing olefins using the catalyst component. The catalyst component consists of a bridged metallocene in which one of the cyclopentadienyl rings is substituted in a different manner from the other ring. One of the cyclopentadienyl ligands contains a bulky group in one and only one distal position and the other cyclopentadienyl ligand has bilateral or pseudobilateral symmetry. There is a steric difference between the two Cp rings.The catalyst component is a stereorigid metallocene described by the formula:R" (CpR.sub.n)(CpR'.sub.m)MeQ.sub.kwherein each Cp is a cyclopentadienyl or substituted cyclopentadienyl ring; each R.sub.n and R'.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition and a process wherein a metallocene catalyst is dissolved in an alumoxane which has been dissolved in a solvent to form a concentrated stock solution of metallocene-alumoxane which can be stored for at least 14 days. The metallocene-alumoxane solution is stored under an oxygen- and water-free environment and more preferably under argon at temperatures that can range from about 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees C.) to about 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees C.). Before or at the time that the metallocene-alumoxane solution is injected into the reactor, it is diluted with a second solution comprised of either an alumoxane, an aluminum alkyl or mixtures thereof dissolved in an oleaginous solvent. The addition of the aluminum based co-catalyst serves a two fold purpose.

Abstract: This invention uses a new method of producing ionic metallocene compounds. These compounds are useful as catalysts for polymerization of olefins, primarily propylene. This method uses an ionizing agent which ionizes the neutral metallocene compound. The ionizing ionic compound does not contain an active proton and contains a carbonium, oxonium or sulfonium cation. The anion of the ionizing ionic compound is not coordinated or is only loosely coordinated to the metallocene cation and is chemically unreactive with the metallocene cation. Examples of such compounds are triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)boronate, triphenylcarbenium tris(pentafluorophenyl)phenyl boronate and triphenylcarbeniumtris(pentafluorophenyl)4-trimethylsilyl-2,3,5,6-tetraflu orophenylboronate.The process of making catalysts with this invention produces catalysts having high activity and does not produce by-products which can inhibit catalyst activity. This new synthesis is a clean reaction which does not produce a Lewis base.

Abstract: The invention provides a metallocene catalyst for use in preparing syndiotactic polyolefins. The catalyst comprises a bridged metallocene in which one of the cyclopentadienyl rings is substituted in a substantially different manner from the other ring. It was discovered that this type of catalyst is highly syndiospecific, and it also produces a polymer with a novel microstructure. The invention further includes the use of one or more of the catalysts in a polymerization process. The catalyst is generally described by the formulaR"(CpR.sub.n)(CpR'.sub.m)MeQ.sub.kwherein each Cp is a cyclopentadienyl or substituted cyclopentadienyl ring; each R.sub.n and R'.sub.m is the same or different and is a hydrocarbyl radicals having 1-20 carbon atoms; R" is a structural bridge between the two Cp rings imparting stereorigidity to the catalyst; Me is a group 4b, 5b, or 6b metal from the Periodic Table of Elements; each Q is a hydrocarbyl radical having 1-20 carbon atoms or is a halogen; 0.ltoreq.k.ltoreq.3; 0.ltoreq.n.

Abstract: Catalysts comprising (a) derivatives of mono, bi and tricyclopentadienyl coordination complexes with a transition metal and (b) and an alumoxane are employed in a process of producing polyolefins of controlled molecular weight.

Abstract: Syndiospecific catalysts and processes for the syndiotactic propagation of a polymer chain derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or is a substituted vinyl compound. The catalysts comprise an unbalanced metallocene cation, characterized by a cationic metallocene ligand having sterically dissimilar ring structures joined to a positively charged coordinating transition metal atom, and a stable noncoordinating counter anion for the metallocene cation. One of said ring structures is a substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl ring and the other of the ring structures is a substituted cyclopentadienyl group which is sterically different from the first cyclopentadienyl group. A structural bridge between cyclopentadienyl groups imparts stereorigidity to the catalyst. The catalyst is contacted with a C.sub.

Abstract: Syndiospecific catalysts and processes for the syndiotactic propagation of a polymer chain derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or is a substituted vinyl compound. The catalysts comprise an unbalanced metallocene cation, characterized by a cationic metallocene ligand having sterically dissimilar ring structures joined to a positively charged coordinating transition metal atom, and a stable noncoordinating counter anion for the metallocene cation. One of said ring structures is a substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl ring and the other of the ring structures is a substituted cyclopentadienyl group which is sterically different from the first cyclopentadienyl group. A structural bridge between cyclopentadienyl groups imparts stereorigidity to the catalyst. The catalyst is contacted with a C.sub.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for increasing the efficiency of pre-polymerized catalysts used in the polymerization of olefins. The invention includes contacting a pre-polymerized catalyst with a cocatalyst or a mixture of cocatalyst and an electron donor prior to introducing the catalyst into a polymerization reaction zone.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst system that exhibits unprecedented catalyst efficiencies and control of desired properties in the polymer product. The catalyst system includes a new generation titanium catalyst in combination with an electron donor described by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is bulky, basic alkyl or cycloalkyl group containing at least one secondary or tertiary carbon atom; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are alkyl or aryl groups; and R.sub.4 is an alkyl group with a primary carbon atom attached to the silicon atom. The system has a catalyst efficiency of at least about 30 kg/g-cat.2h as the Al/Si mole ratio varies from 20-200 in the system. The system easily achieves efficiencies over 60 kg/g-cat.2h. The system also exhibits good control over the xylene solubles, melt flow and molecular weight distribution of the polymer product.

Abstract: This invention is for a metallocene compound which can be used in a catalyst system to produce hemiisotactic polymer. The compound is a bridged metallocene compound having dissimilar cyclopentadienyl groups and no bi-lateral symmetry. One example of the compound is isopropylidene(3-methylcyclopentadienyl-1-fluorenyl) zirconium dichloride. The catalyst of this invention can be converted to an ionic metallocene catalyst by an ionizing agent, such as methylaluminoxane.The polymer produced with this catalyst is characterized by having an isotactic structure effecting only every other asymmetric carbon atom. In the case of polypropylene, every other methyl group is on the same side of the principal polymer chain as represented by a Fisher projection. The remaining methyl groups can be either on the same side or on the opposite side of the principal polymer chain. The polymer produced with the catalyst of this invention can be used as a plasticizer.

Abstract: The invention provides catalyst systems for use in the polymerization of olefins to produce a polymer product having a broad molecular weight distribution. The catalyst system includes at least two different chiral, stereo-rigid metallocene catalysts of the formula R"(C.sub.5 (R').sub.4).sub.2 MeQp and an aluminum compound, preferably an alumoxane. These catalyst systems are especially useful in the polymerization of propylene.

Abstract: Polyolefin reactor blends obtained by polymerization of ethylene and higher alpha-olefins in the presence of a catalyst system comprising two or more metallocenes and alumoxane.

Abstract: Polyolefins having a broad molecular weight distribution are obtained by polymerizing ethylene or higher alpha-olefins in the presence of a catalyst system comprising two or more metallocenes each having different propagation and termination rate constants and alumoxane.