Abstract: A butyl polymer having improved processability is described, together with a process for production thereof. The butyl polymer derived from a reaction mixture which contains: (i) a monomer mixture comprising a C4 to C7 monoolefin monomer (preferably isobutylene) and a C4 to C14 multiolefin monomer (preferably isoprene); (ii) a multiolefin cross-linking agent (preferably divinyl benzene); and (iii) a chain transfer agent (preferably diisobutylene (2,2,4-trimethyl-1-pentene)). The subject butyl polymer has an improved balance of cold flow, filler dispersion, extrusion rate and die swell.

Abstract: Enclosed are high refractive index and low birefringence organic/inorganic hybrid materials useful for optical applications. They are prepared from solventless metal aliphatic acryl alkoxides. The metal acryl alkoxides are synthesized from exchanging acryl alcohol with metal alkoxides, and are hydrolyzed into metal oxide nanoparticles and are well dispersed in the acrylate matrix. Then they are polymerized into organic/inorganic hybrid materials containing metal oxide in polyacrylate.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of discharging polymer from a continuously operated gas phase reactor, wherein at least one monomer is polymerized in a bed containing active catalyst formed by catalyst and polymer particles suspended in a fluid, the bed defining a fluidized bed level in said reactor. The invention comprises continuously withdrawing polymer powder from the reactor; and adjusting the discharge rate of the polymer powder so as to maintain a constant bed level during polymerization. By means of the invention the discharge of the polymer can be made truly continuous without any disturbance of the polymerization. The rate of withdrawn polymer can be flexibly adjusted depending on the progress of the polymerization and it can also easily be scaled up if the capacity of the reactor is increased.

Abstract: Ruthenium and osmium carbene compounds that are stable in the presence of a variety of functional groups and can be used to catalyze olefin metathesis reactions on unstrained cyclic and acyclic olefins are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making the carbene compounds. The carbene compounds are of the formula where M is Os or Ru; R1 is hydrogen; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl; X and X1 are independently selected from any anionic ligand; and L and L1 are independently selected from any neutral electron donor. The ruthenium and osmium carbene compounds of the present invention may be synthesized using diazo compounds, by neutral electron donor ligand exchange, by cross metathesis, using acetylene, using cumulated olefins, and in a one-pot method using diazo compounds and neutral electron donors.

Abstract: A catalytic method is provided for a ring-opening cross-metathesis reaction between a cycloolefinic substrate and a second olefinic reactant, wherein the catalyst used is a transition metal alkylidene complex substituted with an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand. The substrates are selected so that the rate of the cross-metathesis reaction of the second olefinic reactant, kCM, is greater than or equal to the rate of the ring-opening metathesis reaction, kRO. In this way, the predominant ROCM product is a monomer, dimer, and/or oligomer, but not a polymer. The invention additionally provides for selective production of an end-differentiated olefinic product, using trisubstituted cycloolefins as substrates and/or a subsequent cross-metathesis reaction following an initial ROCM step. The cycloolefinic substrates include low-strain olefins such as cyclohexene as well as higher strain olefins such as cyclooctene.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a polyolefin composition comprising contacting a metallocene pre-catalyst with a substoichiometric amount of a co-catalyst; adding a first olefin monomer; and polymerizing the first monomer for a time sufficient to form the polyolefin. The method allows for the use of a minimum amount of activating co-catalyst, and allows for the production of stereoregular and non-stereoregular polyolefins. The use of configurationally stable metallocene pre-catalysts allows for the production of monomodal isotactic polyolefins having narrow polydispersity. The use of configurationally unstable metallocene pre-catalysts allows for the production of monomodal atactic polyolefins having narrow polydispersity. The method of the present invention optionally further comprises contacting the polyolefin with a second amount of said co-catalyst; adding a second olefin monomer; polymerizing said second olefin monomer to form a block-polyolefin composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of a catalyst by reacting metal compounds with azo ligands, the catalyst, the use of this catalyst as a polymerization catalyst, a process for olefin (co)polymerization with the aid of these catalysts, reaction products of these catalysts with co-catalysts, the olefin (co)polymer, the use of this olefin (co)polymer for the production of molded parts and also molded parts produced from the olefin (co)catalyst.

Abstract: The invention relates to new compounds having an element of group 12 and having a tridentate ligand, a process for their preparation and their use in particular as a polymerization catalyst.

Abstract: A process for producing a polymer, which comprises polymerizing a vinyl compound (I) represented by the general formula CH2═CH—R, wherein steric parameters Es and B1 of the substituent R are respectively −1.64 or less and 1.53 or more, or a vinyl compound (II) represented by the general formula CH2═CH—R′, wherein a substituent R′ is a secondary or tertiary alkyl group, in the presence of a catalyst obtained by combining: (A) a transition metal compound represented by the general formula [1] (B) an organoaluminum compound and (C) a boron compound.

Abstract: A tire provided with a tire tread made from a rubber composition comprising (A) a random copolymer based on non-conjugated cyclic polyene comprising structural units originated from one or more &agr;-olefins (A1) and originated from one or more non-conjugated cyclic polyene (A2), the said random copolymer having a content of the structural unit(s) originated from one or more &agr;-olefins (A1) in the range of 93 to 70 mole %; a content of the structural unit originated from one or more non-conjugated cyclic polyene (A2) in the range of 7 to 30 mole %; an intrinsic viscosity [&eegr;], determined in decalin at 135° C., in the range of 0.01 to 20 dl/g; a glass transition temperature (Tg) of not higher than 40° C.; and an iodine value in the range of 50 to 150, and (B) a rubber based on diene, in a weight proportion of {the random copolymer based on non-conjugated cyclic polyene (A)} versus {the rubber based on diene (B)} in the range from 60/40 to 0.1/99.

Abstract: The invention relates to complexes of ruthenium of the structural formula I where X is an anionic ligand, Z is a monodentate to tridentate ligand which contains a metal and is nonionically bound to the ruthenium center, R1 and R2 are identical or different and are each hydrogen or/and a hydrocarbon group, but may also form a ring, and Ligand L is an N-heterocyclic carbene, and also to a process for preparing acyclic olefins having two or more carbon atoms or/and cyclic olefins having three or more carbon atoms and the use of at least one complex of the formula I in olefin metathesis.

Abstract: The present invention provides high density, non-volatile memory devices incorporating polymers comprised of sandwich coordination compounds. Such polymers can have multiple different and distinguishable oxidation states (e.g., ten different and distinguishable oxidation states), and thus provide molecules, information storage media and apparatus that store multiple bits of information. In addition, the polymers can be immobilized or bound to a substrate to produce other useful articles, such as electrochromic displays, molecular capacitors, and batteries.

Abstract: An insulating material comprising a cycloolefin polymer, specifically, an interlayer insulating material for a high-density assembly board having interlayer-connecting via holes at most 200 &mgr;m in diameter, comprising a cycloolefin polymer containing at least 50 mol % of a repeating unit derived from a cycloolefin monomer; a dry film formed from a curable resin composition comprising a polymer having a number average molecular weight within a range of 1,000 to 1,000,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography, and a hardener; and a resin-attached metal foil obtained by forming a film of a cycloolefin polymer on one side of a metal foil. Laminates, multi-layer laminates and build-up multi-layer laminates making use of these materials, and production processes thereof.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystal display unit without occurrence of abnormal orientation of liquid crystal molecules and deterioration of the image quality and a method for manufacturing the same. Above and below a TFT, light shielding films are disposed and further the ruggedness generated by stacking a plurality of light shielding films is smoothed using a transparent resin not absorbing light with a wavelength of not smaller than 300 nm. As this transparent resin, acrylic resins are used. As a result, according to the present invention, no abnormal orientation of liquid crystal molecules occurs and a problem of reverse twist, reverse tilt or the like is less probable to take place. Since the smoothening film absorbs no light of not smaller than 300 nm, neither denaturalization nor coloration nor bubbles occur in the smoothening film even under irradiating environments of intense light of a projector or the like.

Abstract: Ethylene, dienes and optionally &agr;-olefins are copolymerized by selected iron complexes of 2,6-pyridinecarbox-aldehydebis(imines) and 2,6-diacylpyridinebis(imines). The resulting copolymers contain residual olefinic unsaturation from the diene monomers, and some of these copolymers contain cyclic units in the main chain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a phase retarder made of a copolymer prepared by polymerizing one non-cyclic olefin monomer (A) selected from ethylene and &agr;-olefin compound having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, one cyclic olefin monomer (B) selected from cyclic olefin compound such as norbornene, and one cyclic vinyl monomer (C) selected from vinyl compound having a cyclic unit made of an aromatic hydrocarbon or an alicyclic hydrocarbon such as styrene or vinylcyclohexane; wherein (1) an amount of the aromatic vinyl monomer is from about 1 to about 20 mol % and a total amount of the non-cyclic olefin monomer (A) and the cyclic olefin monomer (B) is from about 80 to about 99 mol % in case the component (C) is the aromatic vinyl monomer, or (2) an amount of the alicyclic vinyl monomer is from about 80 to about 99 mol % and a total amount of the non-cyclic olefin monomer and the cyclic olefin monomer is from about 1 to about 20 mol % in case the component (C) is the alicyclic vinyl monomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to microstructured components comprising at least one cycloolefin copolymer, to a process for producing these microstructured components, and also to the use of these microstructured components.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for polymerizing ethylene, acyclic olefins, and/or selected cyclic olefins, and optionally selected olefinic esters or carboxylic acids, and other monomers. The polymerizations are catalyzed by selected transition metal compounds, and sometimes other co-catalysts. Since some of the polymerizations exhibit some characteristics of living polymerizations, block copolymers can be readily made. Many of the polymers produced are often novel, particularly in regard to their microstructure, which gives some of them unusual properties. Numerous novel catalysts are disclosed, as well as some novel processes for making them. The polymers made are useful as elastomers, molding resins, in adhesives, etc.

Abstract: Ethylene based polymers having high molecular weights can be obtained in high yields at temperatures of industrial interest, by carrying out the polymerization reaction in the presence of catalysts comprising silicon bridged metallocenes having a particular ligand system containing a heteroatom.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of absorbable homopolymers or random copolymers and their processing into monofilament fibers is disclosed. The process comprises a reactive extrusion step where a cyclic monomer or a mixture of cyclic monomers and other additives are polymerized to form absorbable homopolymer or copolymer compositions, which are then extruded continuously and spun into monofilament fibers using regular fiber spinning and drawing techniques.

Abstract: A continuous process for the preparation of absorbable polymers and their processing into multifilament fibers is disclosed. The process comprises a reactive extrusion step where cyclic monomers and other additives are polymerized into absorbable homopolymer or copolymer compositions, which are then extruded continuously and spun into multifilament fibers using regular fiber spinning and drawing techniques.

Abstract: Membranes made from amphiphilic copolymers are disclosed. The amphiphilic copolymers can be ABA copolymers, where one of A and B is hydrophilic and the other is hydrophobic. The copolymers may be crosslinked to form more stable structures. Crosslinking can be accomplished using a variety of methods, including end to end polymerization of copolymers having terminal unsaturated groups. Molecules such as membrane proteins can be incorporated into the membrane to allow the transport there through of selected components.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing an organic polymer film whereby when using it as an interlayer insulating film in a semiconductor device, the film exhibits higher adhesiveness at its interfaces where other semiconductor materials are in contact with the lower and the upper surface of the film while an effective dielectric constant in the whole organic polymer film can be further reduced. Specifically, a plurality of organic monomers vaporized is sprayed onto a heated substrate surface via plasma generated in a reaction chamber to form a copolymer film comprising frame composed of a plurality of organic monomer units.

Abstract: An insulating material comprising a cycloolefin polymer, specifically, an interlayer insulating material for a high-density assembly board having interlayer-connecting via holes at most 200 &mgr;m in diameter, comprising a cycloolefin polymer containing at least 50 mol % of a repeating unit derived from a cycloolefin monomer; a dry film formed from a curable resin composition comprising a polymer having a number average molecular weight within a range of 1,000 to 1,000,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography, and a hardener; and a resin-attached metal foil obtained by forming a film of a cycloolefin polymer on one side of a metal foil. Laminates, multi-layer laminates and build-up multi-layer laminates making use of these materials, and production processes thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the copolymerization of conjugated diolefins with non-conjugated olefins in the presence of rare earth metal catalysts. The advantages of the process according to the invention are in particular the high selectivity, good space-time yield and the possibility of being able to vary the reaction conditions within a wide range.

Abstract: Methods for the addition polymerization of cycloolefins using a cationic Group 10 metal complex and a weakly coordinating anion of the formula:

Abstract: A process for producing a copolymer of an isoolefin and at least one other comonomer comprising the step of polymerizing a reaction mixture comprising an isoolefin, a catalyst and at least one of a cycloconjugated muitiolefin and an unconjugated cyclic olefin in the presence of an activator comprising a carbo cation producing species, a silica cation producing species and mixtures thereof. The process can be practiced using a slurry polymerization approach. One of the main benefits achieved with the present invention is the conversion of the monomers over a shorter period of time and higher percent conversion than when the activator is not used.

Abstract: Ethylene, dienes and optionally &agr;-olefins are copolym-erized by selected iron complexes of 2,6-pyridinecarbox-aldehydebis(imines) and 2,6-diacylpyridinebis(imines). The resulting copolymers contain residual olefinic unsaturation from the diene monomers, and some of these copolymers contain cyclic units in the main chain.

Abstract: Provided are new resins that comprise carbocyclic aryl units with hetero substitution units and photoresists that contain such resins. Particularly preferred photoresists of the invention comprise a deblocking resin that contains hydroxy naphthyl units and can be effectively imaged with sub-200 nm radiation such as 193 nm radiation.

Abstract: A method for polymerization and copolymerization of ethylene is disclosed. The polymerization is carried out in the presence of a preactivated titanium solid complex catalyst supported on a carrier containing magnesium. The resulting polymers have the advantage of high bulk density and broad molecular weight distribution.

Abstract: Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a photochromic 1,2-bis-(3-thienyl)-cyclopentene monomer generated a series of novel polymers. All polymers exhibit reversible light-activated interconversion between their colorless-open and their colored-closed forms.

Abstract: A novel alicyclic hydrocarbon copolymer having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 1,000-1,000,000 a comprising repeating units (a) having an alicyclic structure and repeating units (b) having a chainlike structure; the sum of repeating units (a) and repeating units (b) being at least 90 wt. % based on the copolymer, and the content of repeating units (b) being at least 1 wt. % but smaller than 10 wt. %, based on the copolymer; and the chain of repeating units (a) satisfying the formula: A≦0.3×B where A=weight average molecular weight of the chain of repeating units (a), and B=Mw of the copolymer×(number of repeating units (a)/number of the total repeating units constituting the copolymer). The copolymer exhibits low birefringence and high mechanical strength. A process for producing the copolymer is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel (meth)acrylate ester-based resin composition which, for example, exhibits various good properties such as weather resistance, heat resistance, water resistance, acid resistance, alkali resistance, warm water resistance, impact resistance, flexibility, processability, adhesion, hardness, and elongation when being used for various uses such as coating agents (e.g. for films, plastics, glass, paper, fibers, leather), pressure sensitive adhesives, and adhesives in addition to various paints (e.g. paints for building exteriors, paints for building materials, paints for metals, paints for plastics, heavy anticorrosive paints, waterproof paints for roofs).

Abstract: Packages and methods for protecting oxygen-sensitive products from damage or degradation due to oxygen contamination are provided. The packages contain at least two oxygen scavenging materials having different oxygen scavenging properties, arranged so that oxygen contamination from different sources is effectively eliminated. Preferred packages contain at least one oxygen scavenging material to effectively absorb head space oxygen, and at least one oxygen scavenging material to effectively absorb ingress oxygen.

Abstract: Substituted cyclopentenes, such as alkyl cyclopentenes, are polymerized by selected &agr;-imine complexes of nickel and palladium. The polymers are useful as molding resins or elastomers. Also disclosed herein are novel catalysts for the polymerization of cyclopentenes to form novel higher melting homopolycyclopentenes.

Abstract: This invention relates generally synthetic procedures that include the step of ring-opening metathesis of cyclic olefins and reaction with an acyclic diene co-reactant to produce olefin macrocycles by ring expansion, or alternatively. The ring expansion of the cyclic olefin is provided by three types of sequential olefin metathesis (ring-opening, cross, and ring-closing olefin metathesis). More particularly, the invention pertains to synthesis of olefin macrocycles via olefin metathesis reactions using a Group 8 transition metal complex as the metathesis catalyst. Macrocycles provided herein have a variety of uses in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, organic synthesis and chemical industries, such as the production of crown ethers that are useful as metal complexing species.

Abstract: The present invention provides an olefin/cycloolefin/alkylstyrene copolymer which is non-functionalized, functionalized, or grafted. By the functionalization of the benzylic protons of the alkylstyrene unit, the copolymer can be functionalized. The functionalized or grafted olefin/cycloolefin/alkylstyrene copolymer has good adhesion to a substrate and good compatibility with other polymers compared with the non-functionalized copolymer.

Abstract: A reshapable hair styling composition comprising heterogeneous (meth)acrylic copolymer particles, said particles being the same or different and comprising at least one (meth)acrylic copolymer comprising: (a) units derived from at least one monomer chosen from (meth)acrylate esters of branched and straight chain alkyl alcohols, (b) units derived from at least one monomer chosen from (meth)acrylate esters of saturated and unsaturated cyclic alcohols containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms, (c) optionally units derived from at least one monomer chosen from hydrophilic monomers, and (d) optionally units derived from at least one monomer other than (a), (b), and (c) monomers, wherein said composition provides a reshapable effect.

Abstract: An in-situ method for performing organic metathesis polymer chemistry in the solid state includes the step of providing an organic monomer and a catalyst, the catalyst for driving a metathesis polymerization reaction of the monomer. The organic monomer can be provided as a liquid monomer. The reaction produces reaction products including a polymeric end product and at least one volatile reaction product. At least a portion of the volatile reaction product is removed during the reaction to favor formation of the reaction product. Significantly, the reaction is performed at a temperature being below an average melting point of the polymeric end product such that at least a portion of the reaction is performed in the solid phase.

Abstract: A catalyst composition for preparing olefin polymers. The catalyst composition includes a metallocene compound and an activating cocatalyst. In the metallocene compound, two cyclopentadienyl groups are bridged by X (carbon, silicon, germanium or tin) in a ring structure. The bite angle &thgr; formed by the two cyclopentadienyl rings and X is equal to or greater than 100 degrees. The obtained olefin polymer has high cycloolefin conversion and a high glass transition temperature. In addition, the catalyst composition can still maintain relatively high activity at high temperature reaction conditions.

Abstract: A molding composition comprising a (co)polymer of vinylcyclohexane is disclosed. The copolymer is characterized in having an absolute molecular weight Mw of 100,000 to 450,000 g/mol, polydispersity index of 1 to 3 and maximum melt viscosity of 1000 Pa·s, as measured at 300° C. and at a shear rate of 1000 sec−1. The composition is suitable for producing a variety of molded article most notably optical data storage media.

Abstract: A catalyst composition for preparing olefin polymers. The catalyst composition includes a metallocene compound and an activating cocatalyst. In the metallocene compound, two cyclopentadienyl groups are bridged by X (carbon, silicon, germanium or tin) in a ring structure. The bite angle 0 formed by the two cyclopentadienyl rings and X is equal to or greater than 100 degrees. The obtained olefin polymer has high cycloolefin conversion and a high glass transition temperature. In addition, the catalyst composition can still maintain relatively high activity at high temperature reaction conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a covering material having a layer formed of a resin of which glass transition point is in the range of 10° C. to 50° C., said covering material having excellent shape keeping ability and shape recovering ability after deformation.

Abstract: Methods for the addition polymerization of cycloolefins using a cationic Group 10 metal complex and a weakly coordinating anion of the formula:

Abstract: The invention discloses ruthenium alkylidene complexes of the type (PCy3)(L)Cl2Ru(CHPh), where L is a triazolylidene ligand of the general formula: These catalysts have been found to be considerably more active for olefin metathesis at elevated temperatures than the parent catalyst (PCy3)2Cl2Ru(CHPh)(2). For example, complex 14 (L=1,3,4-triphenyl-4.5-dihydro-1H-triazol-5-ylidene) is able to catalyze the ring-closing metathesis of substituted dienes to give tetra-substituted cyclic olefins in good yield. In addition, this complex demonstrates the analogous stability towards oxygen and moisture exhibited by ruthenium alkylidene 2.

Abstract: Non-tacky, base polymers are plasticized into pressure-sensitive adhesives and comprise: a) about 100 parts by weight of a base copolymer having a Tg greater than about 0° C., wherein the base copolymer is formed from and comprises: (1) about 50 to 70% by weight of a high Tg comonomer component, wherein the homopolymer formed from the high Tg comonomer component has a Tg of at least about 20° C.; (2) optionally, up to about 20% by weight based on the total weight of the base copolymer of an acidic comonomer; and (3) about 30 to 50% by weight of one or more low Tg (meth)acrylate comonomer, wherein the Tg homopolymer of the low Tg comonomer is less than about 20° C., and b) about 1 to about 100 parts based on the base copolymer of a nonreactive, non-volatile, non-acrylic-based plasticizing agent.

Abstract: This invention is based upon the unexpected discovery that the reactivity of the most important monomers commonly used in synthesizing tackifier resins with aluminum halide catalysts can be enhanced by conducting the polymerization in the presence of an allylic halide. For instance, the conversions of 2-methyl-2-butene, cis-piperylene, and cyclopentene that are attained in polymerizations that are catalyzed with aluminum halide catalysts are increased by conducting the polymerization in the presence of an allylic halide, such as allyl chloride. Increased monomer conversion is of great commercial importance because it leads to an increased level of efficiency and reactor capacity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the copolymerisation of conjugated diolefins with non-conjugated olefins in the presence of rare earth metal catalysts. The advantages of the process according to the invention are in particular the high selectivity, good space-time yield and the possibility of being able to vary the reaction conditions within a wide range.

Abstract: Deaminatively generated carbocations to initiate addition polymerization are disclosed. The high reactivity of the carbocation allows initiation of polymerization with virtually all alkenes, alkynes, alicyclic and aromatic monomers, regardless whether multisubstituted or conjugated. In addition, the carbocation initiates a polymerization reaction that generates an extremely high molecular weight polymer. In particular polystyrene of viscosity average molecular weight of approximately 106 was obtained.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides ene-thiol elastomers comprising the reaction product of a polythiol free of hydrophilic groups and having at least two thiol groups and an aromatic, heterocyclic, aliphatic, or cycloaliphatic polyene having at least two reactive unsaturated carbon to carbon bonds. In another aspect, the invention provides ene-thiol elastomer comprising the reaction product of (a) a thiol terminated oligomer comprising the reaction product of a polythiol having two thiol groups and a first polyene or mixture of polyenes having two reactive unsaturated carbon to carbon bonds; and (b) a second polyene or a mixture of polyenes having at least 5 percent functional equivalents of unsaturated carbon to carbon bonds from polyenes having at least three unsaturated carbon to carbon bonds. The ene-thiol elastomers of the invention have a weight increase of not more than 4 weight percent in 15 days at a temperature of 22° C.