Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Exxonmobile Research and Engineering Company

Joseph Anthony Sissano

Lisa Saunders Baugh

Robert Timothy Stibrany

Donald N Schulz

Enock Berluche

Smita Kacker

Pamela Jean Wright

Dennis G Peiffer

Abhimanyu Onkar Patil

Stephen Zushma

Hsien-Chang Wang

Lewis J Fetters

Rebecca L Rucker

Louise M Wheeler

Christine A Costello

Lisa Saunders Boffa

A composition having the formula I where Rand Rare independently hydrogen, Cto Clinear and branched alkyl, Cto Ccycloalkyl, aryl, Cto Calkoxy, F, Cl, SO, Cto Cperfluoroalkyl, and N(CH),

Chromium complexes and their use in olefin polymerization

A composition having the formula I where Rand Rare independently hydrogen, Cto Clinear and branched alkyl, Cto Ccycloalkyl, aryl, Cto Calkoxy, F, Cl, SO, Cto Cperfluoroalkyl, and N(CH),Ris independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, Cto Clinear and branched alkyl, Cto Ccycloalkyl, aryl, and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl,A is &#x2014;C(R)&#x2014;, &#x2014;(CH)&#x2014;, &#x2014;(CH)NH(CH)&#x2014;, or &#x2014;CYCY&#x2014;, where Ris a hydrocarbyl, halosubstituted hydrocarbyl, or alkoxy group of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 1 to 12, and Y is halogen,andX is halogen, triflate, acetate, trifluoroacetate, hydride, or tetrafluoroborate.When combined with an activating co-catalyst is useful in polymerizing olefinic monomers.

The instant invention provides a late transition metal complex which can be used with an activating cocatalyst to produce polymers and copolymers. The invention also provides methods for polymerizing olefins, as well as copolymers having polar monomers incorporated therein. More specifically, the invention provides a composition having the formula LMXZ, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag and Au; X is selected from the group consisting of halide, hydride, triflate, acetate, borate, Cthrough Calkyl, Cthrough Calkoxy, Cthrough Ccycloalkyl, Cthrough Ccycloalkoxy, aryl, thiolate, nitrate, sulfate, nitrile, hydroxide and any other moiety into which a monomer can insert; Z is selected from the group consisting of halide, hydride, triflate, acetate, borate, Cthrough Calkyl, Cthrough Calkoxy, Cthrough Ccycloalkyl, Cthrough Ccycloalkoxy, aryl, thiolate, carbon monoxide, nitrate, nitrile, hydroxide, sulfate, olefins, water, any other neutral coordinating ligand and any other moiety into which a monomer can insert; n equals 0, 1 or 2; and L is a multi-dentate nitrogen-containing ligand.

Multi-dentate late transition metal catalyst complexes and polymerization methods using those complexes

The instant invention provides a late transition metal complex which can be used with an activating cocatalyst to produce polymers and copolymers. The invention also provides methods for polymerizing olefins, as well as copolymers having polar monomers incorporated therein. More specifically, the invention provides a composition having the formula LMXZ , wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag and Au; X is selected from the group consisting of halide, hydride, triflate, acetate, borate, C through C alkyl, C through C alkoxy, C through C cycloalkyl, C through C cycloalkoxy, aryl, thiolate, nitrate, sulfate, nitrile, hydroxide and any other moiety into which a monomer can insert; Z is selected from the group consisting of halide, hydride, triflate, acetate, borate, C through C alkyl, C through C alkoxy, C through C cycloalkyl, C through C cycloalkoxy, aryl, thiolate, carbon monoxide, nitrate, nitrile, hydroxide, sulfate, olefins, water, any other neutral coordinating ligand and any other moiety into which a monomer can insert; n equals 0, 1 or 2; and L is a multi-dentate nitrogen-containing ligand.

The present invention is for a transition metal-free catalyst system for synthesizing high molecular weight, linear polymers. The system comprises a catalyst composition having: (a) a neutral compound having the formula AlR , wherein R is an alkyl or hydride group; (b) a Lewis acid or Lewis acid derivative cocatalyst different from the neutral compound, wherein the cocatalyst reacts with the neutral compound to form an initiator; and (c) an activity-enhancing modifier, wherein the modifier reacts with the initiator to form the catalyst composition. The instant invention is also directed to a method for polymerizing at least one olefinic monomer comprising the step of contacting a feed containing the olefinic monomer under polymerization conditions with the transition metal-free catalyst composition.

Modifiers for improved olefin polymerization with activated neutral aluminum compounds

Graft copolymers having cationic units pendant to the backbone chain are disclosed. These polymers are prepared by reacting a polymer containing halogenated para-methylstyrene units in the chain, e.g., a brominated copolymer of isobutylene and para-methylstyrene, with an anionically polymerized polymer made using an organolithium initiator compound having the formula R R Z R &mdash;Li where R and R are alkyl radicals, R is a direct link or an organic radical and Z is nitrogen or phosphorous. Reaction of the anionically polymerized polymer having an R R Z R &mdash; end group with the halogenated polymer leads to graft polymers coupled by a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium groups.

Graft copolymers containing ionomer units

Graft copolymers having cationic units pendant to the backbone chain are disclosed. These polymers are prepared by reacting a polymer containing halogenated paramethylstyrene units in the chain, e.g., a brominated copolymer of isobutylene and para-methylstyrene, with an anionically polymerized polymer made using an organolithium initiator compound having the formula R.sub.1 R.sub.2 Z R.sub.3 --Li where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are alkyl radicals, R.sub.3 is a direct link or an organic radical and Z is nitrogen or phosphorous. Reaction of the anionically polymerized polymer having an R.sub.1 R.sub.2 Z R.sub.3 --end group with the halogenated polymer leads to graft polymers coupled by a quaternary ammonium or phosphonium groups.

It has now been discovered that the hydrogenation of unsaturated homo and copolymers can be effectively carried out in the absence of added gaseous hydrogen by contacting the unsaturated polymer with a hydrogen donor compound in the presence of a Group VIII metal catalyst, especially a supported palladium catalyst, for a time and at a temperature sufficient to bring about the hydrogenation of the unsaturated polymer.

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Leonardo, NJ, United States of America

Joseph Anthony Sissano