Catalysts for making polyolefins

US6838410B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Equistar Chemicals, LP · US

Inventors

• Shaotian Wang · Mason, US
• Clifford C. Lee · Houston, US
• Mark P. Mack · Sharonville, US
• Gregory G. Hlatky · Morrow, US
• Sandor Nagy · Naperville, US
• Barbara M. Tsuie · Cincinnati, US
• Craig C. Meverden · Mason, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 5, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 4, 2005
• Expiry date: May 1, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S526/943
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for making ethylene copolymers is disclosed. Ethylene copolymerizes with an α-olefin in the presence of a catalyst system comprising an activator and a silica-supported, bridged indenoindolyl metal complex having “open architecture.” The supported complex incorporates comonomers with exceptional efficiency, and the process gives ethylene copolymers having high molecular weights (Mw>100K) and very low densities (<0.910 g/cm3). Open architecture catalysts that include bridging through the indolyl nitrogen of the indenoindolyl framework are also described. Additionally, supported and unsupported indeno[1,2-b]indolyl catalysts provide exceptional activities in the preparation of elastomeric polypropylene and ethylene copolymers.