Patent ID: 7671150

Claim:
A polymerization process for preparing a polymer, comprising contacting at least one acyclic aliphatic olefin monomer and a catalyst composition comprising a palladium metal center complexed with at least one ligand, wherein the at least one ligand has a structure according to Formula I wherein R 1 -R 14 are independently selected from a hydrogen; a halogen; and, a substituent selected from C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 20 alkenyl, C 2 -C 20 alkynyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkylaryl, phenyl, biphenyl, C 1 -C 20 carboxylate, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 2 -C 20 alkenyloxy, C 2 -C 20 alkynyloxy, aryloxy, C 2 -C 20 alkoxycarbonyl, C 1 -C 20 alkylthio, C 1 -C 20 alkylsulfonyl, C 1 -C 20 alkylsulfinyl, silyl and derivatives thereof; wherein Q is phosphorus; wherein R 15 is —SO 3 ; wherein the polymer prepared exhibits a branch content of ≦15 branched/1,000 carbon atoms, wherein the branch content is determined by Carbon 13 NMR and the melting point of the polymer prepared; wherein at least one of R 1 , R 5 , R 6 and R 10 is 2,6-dimethoxy phenyl; with the proviso that R 1 -R 10 are not all hydrogen; with the proviso that when R 2 , R 4 , R 7 and R 9 are each a hydrogen, none of R 1 , R 5 , R 6 and R 10 are CH 3 , CF 3 , F, SMe 2 , biphenyl or phenoxy; and, with the proviso that none of R 1 , R 5 , R 6 and R 10 is a polar group.