Patent ID: 7999046

Claim:
A process for deactivating an active catalyst species in an olefin polymer stream exiting a polymerization reactor and neutralizing catalyst residues and imparting antioxidative properties to an olefin polymer comprising adding a catalyst deactivator and an alkaline earth metal salt of a phosphoric- or phosphonic acid to an olefin polymer stream exiting a polymerization reactor, each in a quantity at least sufficient to deactivate active catalytic species in the polymer stream and neutralize catalyst residues, respectively, and subsequently recovering the resulting polymer product; wherein the phosphoric- or phosphonic acid salt corresponds to the formula: wherein, R 1 is a divalent oxygen or hydrocarbylene group; R 2 is C 1-4 alkyl; R 3 , individually each occurrence, is C 1-20 alkyl; X is oxygen or sulfur; and M is an alkaline earth metal cation.