Production of Olefin Polymerization Catalysts

Abstract

The invention provides a process for producing an olefin polymerisation catalyst, comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal or of an actinide or lanthanide, in the form of solid catalyst particles, comprising forming a liquid/liquid emulsion system which comprises a solution of one or more catalyst components dispersed in a solvent immiscible therewith; and solidifying said dispersed phase to convert said droplets to solid particles comprising the catalyst and optionally recovering said particles.

1 .- 41 . (canceled)  
     
     
         42 . A solid catalyst comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal of Group 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table obtainable according to a process comprising 
 preparing a homogeneous solution of one or more catalyst components;    dispersing said solution in a solvent immiscible therewith to form a liquid/liquid emulsion system in which said one or more catalyst components are present in the droplets of the dispersed phase;    solidifying said dispersed phase to convert said droplets to solid particles, wherein the solidification is effected within the droplets.    
     
     
         43 . A solid catalyst comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal of Group 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table and exhibiting a high catalytic activity comprising: 
 a spherical shape;    a uniform distribution of the chemical composition of the catalyst both intra and inter particles;    a predetermined particle size range of 1-500 μm; and    a low surface area of less than 50 m 2 /g measured by the BET-method.    
     
     
         44 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein said solvent is an organic solvent or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         45 . The catalyst according to  claim 44 , wherein said solvent is a linear, branched, or cyclic alkane or alkene, an aromatic hydrocarbon and/or a halogen-containing hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         46 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein said immiscible solvent which forms the continuous phase is an inert solvent or a mixture thereof, which does not undergo chemical reactions with any catalyst forming component or precursor thereof.  
     
     
         47 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein said immiscible solvent which forms the continuous phase comprises a fluorinated organic solvent, a functionalized derivative thereof, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         48 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein said immiscible solvent which forms the continuous phase comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon, a functionalized derivative thereof, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         49 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein said immiscible solvent comprises a semi-, highly, or perfluorinated hydrocarbon, a functionalized derivative thereof, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         50 . The catalyst according to  claim 49 , wherein said immiscible solvent comprises a C3-C30 perfluoroalkane, -alkene, or -cycloalkane, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         51 . The catalyst according to  claim 49 , wherein said immiscible solvent comprises a perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, perfluorooctane, or perfluoro (methylcyclohexane), or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         52 . The catalyst according to  claim 49 , wherein said immiscible solvent comprises a perfluorohydrocarbon or a functionalized derivative thereof or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         53 . The catalyst according to  claim 42  or  43 , wherein said catalyst further comprises an activator containing aluminum or boron as said catalyst component.  
     
     
         54 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein said catalyst is formed in situ from catalyst components in said solution.  
     
     
         55 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein an emulsifying agent is present during the formation of said emulsion.  
     
     
         56 . The catalyst according to  claim 55 , wherein said emulsifying agent is prepared by reacting a surfactant precursor bearing at least one functional group, with a compound reactive with said functional group in the catalyst solution or in the solvent forming the continuous phase before the addition of the organometallic compound of the transition metal of Group 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC) or of an actinide or lanthanide.  
     
     
         57 . The catalyst according to  claim 55 , wherein said emulsifying agent is prepared by reacting a highly fluorinated C 1-30 -alcohol surfactant precursor with a cocatalyst compound.  
     
     
         58 . The catalyst according to  claim 57 , wherein said surfactant precursor is a highly fluorinated C 4-20 -alcohol.  
     
     
         59 . The catalyst according to  claim 57 , wherein said surfactant precursor is a highly fluorinated C 5-10 -alcohol.  
     
     
         60 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein the solidification is effected by a temperature change treatment.  
     
     
         61 . The catalyst according to  claim 60 , wherein said temperature change treatment comprises subjecting the emulsion to gradual temperature change of up to 10° C. per minute.  
     
     
         62 . The catalyst according to  claim 60 , wherein said temperature change treatment comprises subjecting the emulsion to gradual temperature change of up to 0.5 to 6 per minute.  
     
     
         63 . The catalyst according to  claim 60 , wherein said temperature change treatment comprises subjecting the emulsion to gradual temperature change of up to 1 to 5° C. per minute.  
     
     
         64 . The catalyst according to  claim 60 , wherein said temperature change treatment comprises subjecting the emulsion to a temperature change of more than 40° C. within less than 10 seconds.  
     
     
         65 . The catalyst according to  claim 60 , wherein said temperature change treatment comprises subjecting the emulsion to a temperature change of more than 50° C. within less than 6 seconds.  
     
     
         66 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein the liquid/liquid emulsion system of droplets, which comprises said solution of the homogeneous catalyst, further comprises an olefinic monomer, and the solidification of the dispersed droplets is effected by polymerizing of an olefinic monomer.  
     
     
         67 . The catalyst according to  claim 66 , wherein an olefinic monomer is employed as solvent to form said solution.  
     
     
         68 . The catalyst according to  claim 66 , wherein the olefinic monomer is a gas and is added to the emulsion system to effect the prepolymerization of said monomer in the dispersed droplets.  
     
     
         69 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein the liquid/liquid emulsion system of droplets, which comprises said solution of the homogeneous catalyst, further comprises cross-linking agent and an activator and the solidification of the dispersed droplets to form solid particles is effected by cross-linking the activator with the cross-linking agent.  
     
     
         70 . The catalyst according to  claim 42  or  43 , wherein the transition metal compound is of Group 4 to 6 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC).  
     
     
         71 . The catalyst according to  claim 42  or  43 , wherein the transition metal compound is a compound of formula (I):  
         (L) m R n MX q   (I)  
       wherein N is a transition metal as defined in claim  1  or claim  25  and each X is independently a σ-ligand, each L is independently an organic ligand which coordinates to M, R is a bridging group linking two ligands L, m is 1, 2 or 3; n is 0 or 1; q is 1, 2 or 3; and m+q is equal to the valency of the metal.  
     
     
         72 . The catalyst according to  claim 71 , wherein the organometallic compound of a transition metal is a metallocene.  
     
     
         73 . The catalyst according to  claim 71 , wherein the organometallic compound of a transition metal is a non-metallocene.  
     
     
         74 . The catalyst according to  claim 42 , wherein the solid catalyst particles are recovered and subjected to washing and drying.  
     
     
         75 . The catalyst according to  claim 42  or  43 , wherein the recovered particles have an average size range of 5 to 200 μm.  
     
     
         76 . The catalyst according to  claim 75 , wherein the recovered particles have an average size range of 10 to 100 μm.  
     
     
         77 . The catalyst according to  claim 42  wherein the solid particles having a spherical shape, a predetermined particle size distribution, and a surface area of less than 50 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         78 . The catalyst of  claim 42  or  43 , wherein said particles have a surface area of less than 30 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         79 . The catalyst of  claim 42  or  43 , wherein said particles have a surface area of less than 20 m 2 /g.  
     
     
         80 . A method of homo- or copolymerizing olefins comprising comprising contacting the catalyst according to  claim 42  or  43  said olefins.  
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 80 , wherein said olefins are C 2  to C 10  α-olefins.  
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 80 , wherein said olefins are C 2  to C 10  propene or ethene α-olefines, or copolymers thereof.  
     
     
         83 . A polyolefin which is obtainable using the catalyst of  claim 42  or  43 .