Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

John P Candlin

Peter L Law

Anthony D Caunt

John W Kelland

Ronald Pearce

Keith Collier Wilson

John A Segal

Ian G Williams

A suspension which comprises an inert liquid medium, a solid material, and a transition metal compound is dried using a spray-drying technique. The spray-drying is effected under conditions of temperature and pressure which are such as to cause evaporation of the liquid medium. The solid material is preferably in a finely-divided form. The solid material may consist essentially of a transition metal compound or may be a transition metal compound which is supported on a suitable solid inert matrix material. Alternatively, a suspension of a solid support material in a solution of a transition metal compound may be used. The dried solid is obtained as an agglomerate. The agglomerated solid can be mixed with an organic compound of a non-transition metal to give an olefin polymerisation catalyst system.

Drying process and product

A suspension which comprises an inert liquid medium, a solid material, a transition metal compound and an agglomeration aid is dried using a spray-drying technique. The spray-drying is effected under conditions of temperature and pressure which are such as to cause evaporation of the liquid medium. The solid material is preferably in a finely-divided form and may consist essentially of a transition metal compound or may be a transition metal compound which is supported on a suitable solid inert matrix material. Alternatively, a suspension of a solid support material in a solution of a transition metal compound may be used. The agglomeration aid may be polystyrene dissolved in the inert liquid medium. The dried solid is obtained as an agglomerated solid which can be mixed with an organic compound of a non-transition metal to give an olefin polymerization catalyst system.

Process for polymerizing olefins with a spray-dried catalyst

A suspension which comprises an inert liquid medium, a solid material, and a transition metal compound is dried using a spray-drying technique. The spray-drying is effected under conditions of temperature and pressure which are such as to cause evaporation of the liquid medium. The solid material is preferably in a finely-divided form. The solid material may consist essentially of a transition metal compound or may be a transition metal compound which is supported on a suitable solid inert matrix material. Alternatively, a suspension of a solid support material in a solution of a transition metal compound may be used. The dried solid is obtained as an agglomerate. The agglomerated solid can be mixed with an organic compound of a non-transition metal to give an olefin polymerization catalyst system.

A solid compound of a transition metal is ground in the presence of aluminium chloride, titanium tetrachloride and at least one organo-Lewis Base compound. The transition metal compound is typically titanium trichloride. The Lewis Base compound is an organo-phosphorus compound, preferably one which also contains nitrogen, such as 2-dimethylamino-1,3-dimethyl-1,3,2-diazaphospholidine-2-oxide or an organo-sulphur compound such as diphenyl sulphone. The solid compound of the transition metal may include aluminium chloride and if the amount of this aluminium chloride is at least 50% molar, there is no need to make a separate addition of aluminium chloride to the mixture which is ground. The ground product can be used as a component of an olefine polymerization catalyst.

Transition metal compound

A transition metal compound containing at least one .pi.-bonded arene is contacted with an inorganic oxide, hydroxide, oxyhalide, hydroxyhalide or halide. The transition metal compound can be a compound such as titanium(O)ditoluene or TiCl.sub.2.2AlCl.sub.3 durene. The inorganic compound is preferably of high surface area and this may be inherent in the compound or can be achieved by a grinding procedure. The inorganic compound can be treated with a halogen containing compound either before, during or after the contacting with the transition metal compound. The product of the contacting is useful either as catalyst for the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers or as a component of such a catalyst. When used as a component of an olefine polymerization catalyst, the transition metal product can be mixed with an organo-aluminum compound and a Lewis Base compound such as an ester. The catalysts can be used to polymerize or copolymerize olefine monomers to obtain a high yield of a polymer having good properties. Some of the catalysts produce polymers of high molecular weight which have an interesting combination of properties.

Supported arene complex olefin catalysis

A transition metal compound containing at least one .eta..sup.6 -arene is contacted with a solid material of the formula MX.sub.2 nL where X is a halogen atom, n is such that 0&lt;n.ltoreq.6 and L is an organic Lewis Base compound. The transition metal compound can be a compound such as TiCl.sub.2.2AlCl.sub.3 -arene. The solid material is preferably of high surface area and this may be inherent in the solid material or can be achieved by a grinding procedure. The solid material may be MgCl.sub.2 2.0 C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH; MgCl.sub.2 2.0 CH.sub.3 COOH or MgCl.sub.2 1.0 CH.sub.3 COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5. The solid material can be treated with a halogen-containing compound either before, during or after the contacting with the transition metal compound. The product of the contacting is useful either as catalyst for the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers or as a component of such a catalyst. When used as a component of an olefine polymerization catalyst, the transition metal product can be mixed with an organo-aluminium compound and and additional Lewis Base compound such as an ester. The catalyst can be used to polymerize or copolymerize olefine monomers to obtain a high yield of a polymer.

Transition metal composition

A transition metal compound containing at least one .eta..sup.6 -arene is contacted with a compound of the formula MX.sub.n Y.sub.2-n mL; or Z.sub.3 Al[MgZ.sub.2 ].sub.y AlZ.sub.3 where L, M, X, Y, Z, m, n, and y are defined. The transition metal compound can be a compound such as TiCl.sub.2.2AlCl.sub.3 -arene. The compound of the defined formula may be a solid compound which may be insoluble in hydrocarbon liquids when it may be of high surface area which may be inherent in the solid or can be achieved by a grinding procedure. The compound of the defined formula may be Mg(OC.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 ; Mg(CH.sub.3).sub.2 ; Mg(CH.sub.2 C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.2 ; (C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.3 Al[Mg(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 ]-Al(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.3 or (iC.sub.3 H.sub.7 O).sub.3 Al(Mg(OiC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.2 ]Al(OiC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.3. During or after the contacting with the transition metal compound, treatment with a halogen-containing compound may be effected. The product of the contacting is useful for the polymerization of olefines.

Production of transition metal composition

A transition metal compound containing at least one .pi.-bonded arene is contacted with an inorganic oxide, hydroxide, oxyhalide, hydroxyhalide or halide. The transition metal compound can be a compound such as titanium(O)ditoluene or TiCl.sub.2.2AlCl.sub.3 durene. The inorganic compound is preferably of high surface area and this may be inherent in the compound or can be achieved by a grinding procedure. The inorganic compound can be treated with a halogen containing compound either before, during or after the contacting with the transition metal compound. The product of the contacting is useful either as catalyst for the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers or as a component of such a catalyst. When used as a component of an olefine polymerization catalyst, the transition metal product can be mixed with an organo-aluminium compound and a Lewis Base compound such as an ester. The catalysts can be used to polymerize or copolymerize olefine monomers to obtain a high yield of a polymer having good properties. Some of the catalysts produce polymers of high molecular weight which have an interesting combination of properties.

Growing community of inventors

Aston, United Kingdom

John P Candlin