Abstract: A method of producing a polymer comprising contacting in a reaction zone under conditions suitable for polymerization of an alpha-olefin monomer with a metallocene catalyst having at least three asymmetric centers, and recovering an alpha-olefin polymer from the reaction zone. A method of polymerizing propylene comprising contacting in a reaction zone propylene, a cocatalyst, and a metallocene catalyst having the formula including stereoisomers: and recovering polypropylene from the reaction zone. A polypropylene composition having a tensile modulus from 40,000 psi to 300,000 psi, a tensile strength at yield from 2,000 psi to 6,000 psi, a tensile strength at break from 1,000 psi to 3,500 psi, a tensile strength from 1,000 psi to 5,000 Kpsi, an elongation at yield of greater than or equal to 10%, and an elongation at break from 50% to 500%.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a transition metal olefin polymerization catalyst component characterized by the formula: where, M is a Group IV or a Group IV transition metal, B is a bridge group containing at least two carbon atoms, A? and A? are organogroups, each containing a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus, X is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, a C1-C20 alkyl group, a C6-C30 aromatic group and mixtures thereof, and n is 1, 2 or 3. The invention also encompasses a method for the polymerization of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which comprises contacting a transition metal catalyst component as characterized by formula (1) above and an activating co-catalyst component in a polymerization reaction zone with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer under polymerization conditions to produce a polymer product.

Abstract: A syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a melting temperature of greater than 160° C., a percentage of syndiotactic pentads greater than 95%, a toluene soluble fraction of equal to or less than 0.4, and a molecular weight of from 10,000 Daltons to 1,000,000 Daltons. A syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a melting temperature of greater than 170° C., a molecular weight of from 100,000 Daltons to 300,000 Daltons, a molecular weight distribution of less than 3, and a toluene soluble fraction of less than 0.4. A syndiotactic polypropylene comprising a tensile modulus of equal to or greater than 60,000 psi, a tensile strength at yield of equal to or greater than 3,600 psi, a tensile strength at break of equal to or greater than 3,900 psi, an elongation at yield of equal to or greater than 13%, and an elongation at break of equal to or greater than 400%.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions and processes for the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers to produce polymers, including copolymers or homopolymers. Such monomers include ethylene, C3+ alpha olefins and substituted vinyl compounds, such as styrene and vinyl chloride. The polymerization catalyst characterized by the formula B(FluL)MQn in which Flu is a fluorenyl group substituted at at least the 2,7- and 3,6-positions by hydrocarbyl groups, preferably relatively bulky hydrocarbyl groups.

Abstract: A method of producing a polymer comprising contacting in a reaction zone under conditions suitable for polymerization of an alpha-olefin monomer with a metallocene catalyst having at least three asymmetric centers, and recovering an alpha-olefin polymer from the reaction zone. A method of polymerizing propylene comprising contacting in a reaction zone propylene, a cocatalyst, and a metallocene catalyst having the formula including stereoisomers: and recovering polypropylene from the reaction zone. A polypropylene composition having a tensile modulus from 40,000 psi to 300,000 psi, a tensile strength at yield from 2,000 psi to 6,000 psi, a tensile strength at break from 1,000 psi to 3,500 psi, a tensile strength from 1,000 psi to 5,000 Kpsi, an elongation at yield of greater than or equal to 10%, and an elongation at break from 50% to 500%.

Abstract: An olefin polymerization process comprising contacting one or more olefins and a catalyst component in a reaction zone under suitable reaction conditions to form a polyolefin, wherein the catalyst component is characterized by the formula: B(Cp)(Fl)MQ2 wherein M comprises a metal, Q comprises a halogen, an alkyl group or an aryl group or combinations thereof, Cp comprises a cyclopentadienyl group, Fl comprises a fluorenyl group, B is a bridging group that may be characterized by the general formula —YRH wherein Y comprises C or Si and R comprises an alkyl group, an aryl group, a poly-aryl group or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions and processes for the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers to produce polymers, including copolymers or homopolymers. Such monomers include ethylene, C3+ alpha olefins and substituted vinyl compounds, such as styrene and vinyl chloride. The polymerization catalyst characterized by the formula B(FluL)MQn in which Flu is a fluorenyl group substituted at at least the 2,7- and 3,6-positions by hydrocarbyl groups, preferably relatively bulky hydrocarbyl groups.

Abstract: Supported catalyst systems and methods of forming the same are generally described herein. The methods generally include providing a support material including silica-alumina prepared by cogel methods, contacting the support material with a fluorinating agent to form a fluorinated support and contacting the fluorinated support with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system.

Abstract: Supported catalyst systems and methods of forming the same are generally described herein. The methods generally include providing an inorganic support composition, wherein the inorganic support composition includes a bonding sequence selected from Si—O—Al—F, F—Si—O—Al, F—Si—O—Al—F and combinations thereof and contacting the inorganic support composition with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system, wherein the transition metal compound is represented by the formula [L]mM[A]n; wherein L is a bulky ligand, A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that a total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency.

Abstract: Supported catalyst systems and methods of forming polymers are generally described herein. The polymerization processes generally include contacting an inorganic support composition with a fluorinating agent to form a fluorinated support, wherein the fluorinating agent includes an organofluorine compound having the formula R4nAlF3-n and wherein each R is independently selected from alkyls, aryls and combinations thereof and n is 1 or 2, contacting the fluorinated support with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system and contacting an olefin monomer with the supported catalyst composition to form a polyolefin.

Abstract: Supported catalyst systems, methods of forming the supported catalyst systems and polymerization processes including the supported catalyst systems are described herein. The methods generally include providing an inorganic support composition, wherein the inorganic support composition comprises aluminum, fluorine and silica and contacting the inorganic support composition with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system, wherein the transition metal compound is represented by the formula [L]mM[A]n; wherein L is a bulky ligand, A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that a total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency.

Abstract: Olefin polymerization processes are described herein. In one embodiment, the process generally includes introducing propylene monomer to a reaction zone, disposing an isospecific metallocene catalyst within the reaction zone, wherein the isospecific metallocene catalyst has the formula: (SiRA2)(CpRB4)(FluRC8)MAn wherein Si is silicon and is a structural bridge between Cp and Flu, Cp is a cyclopentadienyl group, Flu is a fluorenyl group, M is a transition metal, A is a leaving group, n is an integer equal to the valence of M minus 2, RA is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyls, aromatics and combinations thereof, RB is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyls and combinations thereof and RC is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyls, aromatics and combinations thereof, contacting the propylene monomer with the isospecific metallocene catalyst to form isotactic polypropylene and recovering the isotactic polypropylene from the reaction zone.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a tridentate transition metal catalyst components incorporating pyridinyl bis-amino or monoamino ligand structures which do not require ? bonding of the transition metal through the use of cyclopentadienyl rings. The ligand structure incorporates a heteroatom group that involves nitrogen in one organogroup and either oxygen or nitrogen in another organogroup. The process of preparing the catalyst component involves the reaction of a bis-amino or oxyamino pyridenyl ligand compound with an organo transition metal compound involving a tetrabenzyl ligand or other functional group ligands linked to a transition metal such as titanium zirconium or hafnium.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a transition metal olefin polymerization catalyst component characterized by the formula: where, M is a Group IV or a Group IV transition metal, B is a bridge group containing at least two carbon atoms, A? and A? are organogroups, each containing a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus, X is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, a C1-C20 alkyl group, a C6-C30 aromatic group and mixtures thereof, and n is 1, 2 or 3. The invention also encompasses a method for the polymerization of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which comprises contacting a transition metal catalyst component as characterized by formula (1) above and an activating co-catalyst component in a polymerization reaction zone with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer under polymerization conditions to produce a polymer product.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions having Cs symmetry and processes utilizing Cs symmetric catalyst components for the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers to produce polymers, including copolymers or homopolymers. Monomers, which are polymerized or copolymerized include ethylene, C3+ alpha olefins and substituted vinyl compounds, such as styrene and vinyl chloride. The catalyst component is characterized by the formula: wherein M is a Group 4-11 transition metal, n is an integer of from 1-3, Q is halogen or a C1-C2 alkyl group, PY is a pyridinyl group, R? and R? are each C1-C20 hydrocarbyl group, A1 is a mononuclear aromatic group, and A2 is a polynuclear aromatic group, such as a terphenyl group. The catalyst component is used with an activating co-catalyst component such as an alumoxane. Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of a pyridinyl-linked bis-amino ligand suitable for use in forming the catalyst component.

Abstract: Bidentate catalyst systems and the methods or forming such are described herein. The catalyst systems generally are compounds having the general formula: where R, R1, R2 and R3 are optional and independently selected from hydrogen, C1 to C20 alkyl groups or C6 to C20 aryl groups, A? and A? are independently selected from coordination groups, M is a Group 4 or 5 transition metal, X is selected from halogens, alkyl groups, aromatic groups or combinations thereof and n is less than 4.

Abstract: Catalyst compositions and processes for the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers to produce polymers, including copolymers or homopolymers. Such monomers include ethylene, C3+ alpha olefins and substituted vinyl compounds, such as styrene and vinyl chloride. The polymerization catalyst characterized by the formula B(FluL)MQn in which Flu is a fluorenyl group substituted at at least the 2,7- and 3,6-positions by hydrocarbyl groups, preferably relatively bulky hydrocarbyl groups.

Abstract: Methods for the preparation of fluorenyl-type ligand structures and substituted fluorenyl groups which may be employed in metallocene-type olefin polymerization catalysts. There is provided a 2,2?-dihalogen-diphenylmethylene having a methylene bridge connecting a pair of phenyl groups. Each phenyl group has a halogen on a proximal carbon atom relative to the methylene bridge. The halogenated diphenylmethylene is reacted with a coupling agent comprising a Group 2 or 12 transition metal in the presence of a nickel or palladium-based catalyst to remove the halogen atoms from the phenyl groups and couple the phenyl groups at the proximal carbon atoms to produce a fluorene ligand structure. The coupling agent may be zinc, cadmium or magnesium and the catalyst may be a monophosphene nickel complex. The halogenated diphenylmethylene may be an unsubstituted ligand structure or a monosubstituted or disubstituted ligand structure.

Abstract: Methods for the preparation of fluorenyl-type ligand structures and substituted fluorenyl groups which may be employed in metallocene-type olefin polymerization catalysts. There is provided a 2,2?-dihalogen-diphenylmethylene having a methylene bridge connecting a pair of phenyl groups. Each phenyl group has a halogen on a proximal carbon atom relative to the methylene bridge. The halogenated diphenylmethylene is reacted with a coupling agent comprising a Group 2 or 12 transition metal in the presence of a nickel or palladium-based catalyst to remove the halogen atoms from the phenyl groups and couple the phenyl groups at the proximal carbon atoms to produce a fluorene ligand structure. The coupling agent may be zinc, cadmium or magnesium and the catalyst may be a monophosphene nickel complex. The halogenated diphenylmethylene may be an unsubstituted ligand structure or a monosubstituted or disubstituted ligand structure.

Abstract: Ethylene polymerization processes employing bis-imino pyridinyl transition metal components which exhibit C2, C2v or Cs symmetry. Catalyst components of the same or different symmetries may be employed to control polymerization characteristics and characteristics of the resulting polymer products such as polymer yield and polymer molecular weight. The transition metal catalyst component is characterized by the formula: wherein M is a Group 4–11 transition metal, n is an integer within the range of 1–3, Q is a halogen or a C1–C2 alkyl group, and PY is a pyridinyl group which is coordinated with M through the nitrogen atom of the pyridinyl group. Further, with respect to formula (I), A is a methyl group, a phenyl group, or a substituted phenyl group and B1 and B2 are the same or different aromatic groups depending on the symmetry of the catalyst component.