Patent ID: 8309747

Claim:
A method of making a metallocene compound having the formula: the method comprising: (i) contacting a first compound having the formula: or a combination thereof, with a first strong base in the presence of a first solvent to form a first mixture; (ii) contacting the first mixture with a second compound having the formula: in the presence of a second solvent to form a crude ligand product comprising a third compound having the formula: or a combination thereof; (iii) contacting the crude ligand product with a second strong base in the presence of a third solvent to form an intermediate mixture comprising a dianion of the third compound; and (iv) contacting the intermediate mixture with M 1 X 1 X 2 L 1 L 2 in the presence of a fourth solvent and an optional hydrocarbon co-solvent to form a reaction mixture comprising the metallocene compound having formula (I); wherein: the method does not comprise a fine purification step comprising distillation, chromatography, crystallization, or a combination thereof; M 1 is Ti, Zr, or Hf; X 1 and X 2 are independently F; Cl; Br; I; SO 3 CF 3 ; or SO 3 R, wherein R is an alkyl, aryl, or alkylaryl group having up to 18 carbon atoms; L 1 and L 2 are independently F; Cl; Br; I; methyl; benzyl; phenyl; H; BH 4 ; SO 3 CF 3 ; OBR 2 or SO 3 R, wherein R is an alkyl, aryl, or alkylaryl group having up to 18 carbon atoms; or a hydrocarbyloxide group, a hydrocarbylamino group, or a hydrocarbylsilyl group, any of which having up to 18 carbon atoms; Cp is a cyclopentadienyl group; E 1 is C, Si, Ge, or Sn; R 1 and R 2 are independently H, a hydrocarbyl group having up to 18 carbon atoms, or R 1 and R 2 are connected to a form a cyclic or heterocyclic group having up to 18 carbon atoms; and R 3 is a hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbylsilyl group having up to 18 carbon atoms.