Patent ID: 8871878

Claim:
A method of polymerizing ethylene to form polyethylene, the method comprising the steps of: (a) combining at least one ethylene monomer and at least one nickel catalyst selected from the following formulas: wherein R, R′ and R″ are independently selected from a C 1 to C 20 alkyl group, a C 6 to C 10 aryl group, a substituted C 6 to C 10 aryl group, and NR′″ 2 where at least one of R′ and R″ is NR′″ 2 , wherein R′″ is independently selected from a C 1 to C 20 alkyl group, a C 6 to C 10 aryl group, a substituted C 6 to C 10 aryl group, and SiR′ 3 ; X is selected from a C 1 to C 20 alkyl group, a C 6 to C 10 aryl group, and a substituted C 6 to C 10 aryl group; and L is selected from a tertiary phosphine, a tertiary amine, nitrile, dialkyl sulfide, alkylaryl sulfide, and diaryl sulfide; or L and X together constitute a η 3 -benzyl or substituted η 3 -benzyl; and (b) polymerizing the mixture of Step (a) to yield at least one polyethylene polymer.