Patent ID: 7468451

Claim:
A process for preparing halide metallocene compounds of formula (I): (Cp)(ZR 1 m ) n (A) r ML y L′ t (I) wherein (ZR 1 m ) n is a divalent group bridging said Cp and said A moieties; Z is selected from C, Si, Ge, N or P; R 1 is equal to or different from each other, and is selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl, and C 7 -C 20 arylalkyl, said R 1 optionally contains one or more heteroatoms belonging to groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and said R 1 can be an aliphatic or aromatic C 4 -C 7 ring optionally substituted; Cp is an unsubstituted or substituted cyclopentadienyl, optionally condensed to one or more unsubstituted, substituted, saturated, unsaturated, or aromatic rings comprising 4 to 6 carbon atoms, said Cp optionally contains one or more heteroatoms belonging to groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; A is selected from O, S, NR 2 , and PR 2 ; R 2 is selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl, and C 7 -C 20 arylalkyl, or said R 2 can be Cp; M is selected from zirconium, titanium, and hafnium; L is equal to or different from each other, and is selected from chlorine, bromine, iodine; L′ is selected from hydrogen, or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl, and C 7 -C 20 arylalkyl, said L′ optionally contains one or more Si or Ge atoms; m is 1 or 2, wherein when Z is N or P m is 1, and when Z is C, Si, or Ge m is 2; n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein when r is 0 or 2 n is 0; r is 0, 1 or 2; y is 1, 2, or 3; and t is 0, 1 or 2, wherein (y+t) is equal to an oxidation state of M−(1+r); said process comprising contacting a compound of formula (II): (Cp)(ZR 1 m ) n (A) r ML′ p (II) wherein Cp, Z, R 1 , A, M, L′, m, r, and n are defined above; and p is said oxidation state M−(1+r); with at least p minus t equivalents with respect to the metal M of the compound of formula (II) of an halogenating agent of formula (III): R 3 x TL w (III) wherein: L is defined above; R 3 is selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl, and C 7 -C 20 arylalkyl; T is a metal of groups 2-14 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; x is ≧1; and w is ≧1, wherein (x+w) is equal to an oxidation state of T.