Texas Alkyls, Inc.

Stauffer Chemical Company

Clark C Crapo

Dennis B Malpass

Loyd W Fannin

Kelly B Triplett

Dennis L Deavenport

A catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins is disclosed which comprises a metallocene component, for example, organometallic coordination compounds of a Group IVB or Group VB hydrolysis products comprising methane and C.sub.2 or higher alkanes, such as isobutane, n-butane or n-hexane.

Catalyst system for polymerization of olefins

Methylaluminoxane can be formed by the reaction of a tetraalkyldialuminoxane containing C.sub.2 or higher alkyl groups with trimethylaluminum with the trimethylaluminum being present in an amount which is not present in stoichiometric excess. Another embodiment of the present invention involves the synthesis of the methylaluminoxane by reaction of a trialkylaluminum compound or a tetraalkyldialuminoxane containing C.sub.2 or higher alkyl groups with water to form a polyalkylaluminoxane with is then reacted with trimethylaluminum. A third embodiment of the present invention involves the synthesis of the methylaluminoxane by reaction of the aforementioned polyalkylaluminoxane with trimethylaluminum and then with water.

Modified methylaluminoxane

Methylaluminoxane can be formed by the reaction of a tetraalkyldialuminoxane containing C.sub.2 or higher alkyl groups with trimethylaluminum with the trimethylaluminum being present in an amount which is not present in stoichiometric excess. Another embodiment of the present invention involves the synthesis of the methylaluminoxane by reaction of a trialkylaluminum compound or a tetraalkyldialuminoxane containing C.sub.2 or higher alkyl groups with water to form a polyalkylaluminoxane which is then reacted with trimethylaluminum. A third embodiment of the present invention involves the synthesis of the methylaluminoxane by reaction of the aforementioned polyalkylaluminoxane with trimethylaluminum and then with water.

Synthesis of methylaluminoxanes

Dialkylaluminum chloride produced as a co-product in the reaction of a trialkylaluminum with zinc chloride or metallic zinc and an alkyl halide, to produce a dialkylzinc, is purified from contaminants containing zinc by contacting it with a dialkylaluminum hydride, followed by distillation.

Method for recovery of alkylaluminum halides

The viscosity of hydrocarbon solutions of dialkylmagnesium compounds is reduced by including as the viscosity reducing agent a nitrogen-containing compound which is a piperidine substituted with a hydrocarbyl group (preferably a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.6 -C.sub.9 aryl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl group) at the 2-position and optionally further substituted, triethylamine, cyclohexylamine, dicyclohexylamine, or N-N-dimethylformamide, or a mixture of two or more of these nitrogen-containing compounds. The viscosity reducing agent may be used as such or in the form of a substance produced by reacting such a nitrogen-containing compound with magnesium or with a dialkylmagnesium compound. The viscosity reducing agent may be used alone, or in a mixture with an organoaluminum viscosity reducing agent.

Organomagnesium solutions of low viscosity

Post-precipitation of solids from a hydrocarbon solution of an organomagnesium compound is prevented by addition of an appropriate amount of an alkyllithium compound.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Clark C Crapo