Patent ID: 8003839
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method for preparing linear alpha olefin comonomers from ethylene monomer comprising the following steps: providing one or more comonomer synthesis reactors configured in series, and one or more downstream gas/liquid phase separators, which are not distillation columns, configured in series; feeding an ethylene monomer, and a catalyst in a solvent and/or diluent to said one or more comonomer synthesis reactors; reacting in said one or more comonomer synthesis reactors said ethylene monomer and said catalyst in solvent and/or diluent under reaction conditions to produce an effluent stream comprising unreacted ethylene monomer, said catalyst in a solvent and/or diluent, and comonomer; passing said effluent stream to said one or more downstream gas/liquid phase separators to form a gas stream of said unreacted ethylene monomer, and a liquid stream of said comonomer and said catalyst in a solvent and/or diluent, without distillation; recycling to said one or more comonomer synthesis reactors said unreacted ethylene monomer and a portion of said liquid stream; and storing a remaining portion of said liquid stream for subsequent processing of said comonomer; wherein said comonomer is selected from the group consisting of 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene and mixtures thereof, and is similar in composition to said solvent and or diluent, wherein the catalyst comprises the combination of: 1) a ligand represented by the formula: wherein: N is nitrogen; R T is a bridging group, preferably represented by the formula -(T′R J is an optionally substituted six-membered heterocycle, containing at least one nitrogen atom as part of the ring, or J is an optionally substituted five-membered heterocycle, containing at least one nitrogen atom as part of the ring; or a ligand represented by the formula: wherein P is phosphorus; each of R each of Z Q is a bridging group selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted hydrocarbyl having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms; 2) a metal precursor compound characterized by the general formula Cr(L) n where each L is independently selected from the group consisting of halide, alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, substituted heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, hydroxy, boryl, silyl, amino, amine, hydrido, allyl, diene, seleno, phosphino, phosphine, ether, thioether, carboxylates, thio, 1,3-dionates, oxalates, carbonates, nitrates, sulfates, ethers, thioethers and combinations thereof, wherein two or more L groups may be combined in a ring structure having from 3 to 50 non-hydrogen atoms; and n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; and 3) optionally, one or more activators.