Patent ID: 8575279

Claim:
A method for preparing a polyolefin containing one or more exo-olefinic end groups on the polymer chain, which comprises quenching a polyolefin polymer comprising a tert-chloride chain end with a nitrogen-containing compound in the presence of a Lewis acid; wherein the nitrogen-containing compound has the formula: wherein: (a) R 1 and R 4 are independently alkyl of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; and R 2 and R 3 are independently hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of about 3 to about 7 carbon atoms, aryl of about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms, alkaryl of about 7 to about 30 carbon atoms, or aralkyl of about 7 to about 30 carbon atoms; (b) R 1 and R 2 form a fused aromatic ring of about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms or an aliphatic ring of about 4 to about 8 carbon atoms; R 4 is alkyl of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; and R 3 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of about 3 to about 7 carbon atoms, aryl of about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms, alkaryl of about 7 to about 30 carbon atoms, or aralkyl of about 7 to about 30 carbon atoms; (c) R 2 and R 3 form a fused aromatic ring of about 6 to 10 carbon atoms or an aliphatic ring of about 4 to about 8 carbon atoms; and R 1 and R 4 are independently alkyl of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms; or (d) both R 1 and R 2 , and R 3 and R 4 , taken in pairs, independently form a fused aromatic ring of about 6 to 10 carbon atoms or an aliphatic ring of about 4 to about 8 carbon atoms; or wherein the nitrogen-containing compound is an imidazole having at least two hydrocarbyl substituents attached to the aromatic ring; provided that the nitrogen-containing compound is not 2-phenylindole, 2-methylbenzimidazole, 1,2-dimethylimidazole; 2-phenylimidazole, and 2,4,5-triphenylimidazole.