Nova Chemicals (international) S.a.

Nova Chemicals S.a.

Frederick Chiu

Xiaoliang Gao

Darryl Morrison

Charles Carter

Cheng Fan

James T Goettel

Daisy Cruz-milette

P Scott Chisholm

Janelle Smiley-Wiens

Chia Yun Chang

Alva Woo

Provided in this disclosure are zirconium and hafnium complexes that contain 1) a cyclopentadienyl ligand; 2) an adamantyl-phosphinimine ligand; and 3) at least one other ligand. The use of such a complex, in combination with an activator, as an olefin polymerization catalyst is demonstrated. The catalysts are effective for the copolymerization of ethylene with an alpha olefin (such as 1-butene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene).

Cyclopentadienyl/adamantyl phosphinimine zirconium and hafnium complexes

Organometallic complexes are described which are useful as pre-polymerization catalysts which may form part of olefin polymerization catalyst systems. The catalyst systems find use in the polymerization of ethylene, optionally with one or more Calpha-olefin comonomers. The organometallic complexes are broadly represented by formula I: wherein L is a bridging group containing a contiguous chain of atoms connecting P with Cy, wherein the contiguous chain contains 2 or 3 atoms and wherein Cy is a cyclopentadienyl-type ligand. The olefin polymerization catalyst system is effective at polymerizing ethylene with alpha-olefins in a solution phase polymerization process at high temperatures and produces ethylene copolymers with high molecular weight and high degrees of alpha-olefin incorporation. Pre-metallation compounds, metallation processes and synthetic methods to make the organometallic complexes as well as polymerization processes are also described.

Organometallic complex, olefin polymerization catalyst system and polymerization process

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Calgary, Canada

Frederick Chiu