Process for the preparation of a metal-organic compound comprising at least one imine ligand

Abstract

A process for the preparation of a metal-organic compound, comprising at least one imine ligand, characterized in that an imine ligand according to formula (1) or the HA adduct thereof, wherein HA represents an acid, of which H represents its proton and A its conjugate base, is contacted with a metal-organic reagent of formula (2) in the presence of at least 1, respectively at least 2 equivalents of a base, with Y═N—R as formula (1), wherein Y is selected from a substituted carbon, or nitrogen atom and R represents a substituent, and with M(L)k(L)l(L)m(L)nas formula (2), wherein: M represents a group 4 or group 5 metal ion, V represents the valency of the metal ion, being 3, 4 or 5, L, L, L, and Lrepresent a ligand or a group 17 halogen atom on M and may be equal or different, X represents a group 17 halogen atom, k, l, m, n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 with k+l+m+n+l=V. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of a polyolefin by making a metal-organic compound according to the process of the invention, wherein the base is an olefin polymerisation compatible base, which metal-organic compound is activated anywhere in, or before a polymerisation reactor.