Patent ID: 7115761

Claim:
A process for preparing dihalide or monohalide metallocene compounds of formula (I), (Cp)(ZR 1 m ) n (A) r ML q L′ s (I) wherein (ZR 1 m ) n is a divalent group bridging Cp and A; Z being C, Si, Ge, N or P, and the R 1 groups, equal to or different from each other, being hydrogen or 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 or C 7 –C 20 arylalkyl groups, optionally containing one or more heteroatoms belonging to groups 13–17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements or two R 1 can form a aliphatic or aromatic C 4 –C 7 ring that can bear substituents; Cp is a substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl group, optionally condensed to one or more substituted or unsubstituted, saturated, unsaturated or aromatic rings, containing from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, optionally containing one or more heteroatoms belonging to groups 13–17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; A is O, S, NR 2 , PR 2 , wherein R 2 is 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 or C 7 –C 20 arylalkyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl group, optionally condensed to one or more substituted or unsubstituted, saturated, unsaturated or aromatic rings, containing from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, optionally containing one or more heteroatoms belonging to groups 13–17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; M is selected from zirconium, titanium or hafnium; L, equal to or different from each other, are selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and iodine; L′ is selected from the group consisting of 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 group, optionally containing at least one Si or Ge atoms; m is 1 when Z is N or P, and m is 2 when Z is C, Si or Ge; n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, being 0 when r is 0 or 2; r is 0, 1 or 2; q is 1, 2, or 3; s is 0 or 1; wherein q+s=3−r; said process comprising contacting a compound of formula (II) (Cp)(ZR 1 m ) n (A) r ML′ y (II) wherein y is equal to s+q; with an halogenating agent selected from the group consisting of T 1 L w 1 , T 2 L w 2 , O=T 3 L w 3 , and R 6 C(O)L, mercury dichloride (HgCl 2 ) being excluded, wherein T 1 is a metal of groups 3–13 of the Periodic Table of Elements or of the lanthanides series; T 2 is a nonmetal element of groups 13–16 of the Periodic Table of Elements with the exclusion of carbon; T 3 is selected from the group consisting of C, P and S; O is an oxygen atom bonded to T 3 through a double bond; R 6 is selected from 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 or C 7 –C 20 arylalkyl; H is hydrogen; w 1 is equal to the oxidation state of the metal T 1 ; w 2 is equal to the oxidation state of the element T 2 ; w 3 is equal to the oxidation state of the element T 3 minus 2.