Patent ID: 6451939
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: C07D,C07F,C08F

Abstract:
A process for the copolymerisation of polymerisable monomers comprising contacting two or more different polymerisable monomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methylpentene-1, octene, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate and styrene under polymerisation conditions with a polymerisation catalyst which comprises(1) a nitrogen-containing transition metal compound having the following Formula B, and (2) an activating quantity of activator compound selected from organoaluminium compounds and hydrocarbylboron compounds, â€ƒwherein M[T] is Fe[II], Fe[III], Co[I], Co[II], Co[III], Ru[II], Ru[III], Ru[IV], Mn[I], Mn[II], Mn[III], or Mn[IV]; X represents an atom or group covalently or tonically bonded to the transition metal M; T is the oxidation state of the transition metal M and b is the valency of the atom or group X; R1, R2, R3, R4, and R6 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl and such that (1):when M is Fe, Co or Ru, R5 and R7 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl; and when any two or more of R1-R7 are hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl, said two or more can be linked to form one or more cyclic substituents, or such that (2): when M is Fe, Co, Mn, or Ru then R5 is represented by the group â€œPâ€  and R7 is represented by group â€œQâ€  as follows: â€ƒwherein R19 to R28 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl; when any two or more of R1 to R4, R6 and R19 to R28 are hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl, said two or more can be linked to form one or more cyclic substituents; with the proviso that at least one of R19, R20, R21 and R22 is hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl when neither of the ring systems P and Q forms part of a polyaromatic fused-ring system, or such that (3):when M is Fe, Co, Mn or Ru, then R5 is a group having the formula â€”NR29R30 and R7 is a group having the formula â€”NR31R32, wherein R29 to R32 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl; and when any two or more of R1 to R4, R6 and R29 to R32 are hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl, said two or more can be linked to form one or more cyclic substituents.