Process for the preparation of ethylene copolymers

Abstract

Process for the preparation of ethylene copolymers comprising the copolymerization of ethylene with olefins CH 2 ═CHR, in which R is a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms carried out in the presence of a catalyst comprising (i) a solid catalyst component comprising Mg, Ti, halogen and specific 1,3-diethers of formula (I) in which R is a C 1 -C 10 hydrocarbon group, R 1 is methyl or ethyl, optionally containing a heteroatom, and R 2 is a C4-C12 linear alkyl optionally containing a heteroatom, and (ii) an organo-Al compound. The obtained copolymers are endowed with good comonomer distribution.

1 . A process for the preparation of ethylene copolymers comprising the copolymerization of ethylene with olefins CH 2 ═CHR, in which R is a hydrocarbyl radical with 1-12 carbon atoms carried out in the presence of a catalyst comprising the product obtained by contacting (i) a solid catalyst component comprising Mg, Ti, halogen and a 1,3-diether of formula (I)  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R is a C 1 -C 10  hydrocarbon group, R 1  is methyl or ethyl, optionally containing a heteroatom, and R 2  is a C4-C12 linear alkyl group optionally containing a heteroatom, and (ii) an organo-Al compound.  
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1  in which R is a C1-C5 alkyl group, R 1  is methyl and R 2  is a C7-C10 linear alkyl group.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1  in which the 1,3-diether is 2-methyl-2-pentyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-n-hexyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-n-heptyl-2-methyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-n-octyl-2-methyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-n-decyl-2-methyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-ethyl-2-butyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-ethyl-2-pentyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-ethyl-2-n-hexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-n-heptyl-2-ethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-n-octyl-2-ethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, or 2-n-decyl-2-ethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  in which the solid catalyst component (i) comprises a titanium compound containing at least one Ti-halogen bond, and an internal electron-donor compound of formula (I) supported on magnesium halide.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 4  in which Mg-halide is in active form and the titanium compound is a titanium halide or a titanium compound of formula TiX n (OR 4 ) 4-n , where 0≦n≦3, X is halogen, and R 4  is a C 1 -C10 hydrocarbon group.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5  in which the titanium compound is selected from titanium tetrachloride and TiCl 3  OR, where R is a C 1 -C 10  hydrocarbon radical.  
     
     
         7 . A solid catalyst component comprising Mg, Ti, halogen and a 1,3-diether of formula (I):  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which R is a C 1 -C 10  alkyl group, R 1  is methyl or ethyl, optionally containing a heteroatom, and R 2  is a C4-C12 linear alkyl group optionally containing a heteroatom with the proviso that when R 1  is ethyl, R 2  is higher than C4.  
     
     
         8 . The solid catalyst component according to  claim 7  in which R is a C1-C5 alkyl group, R 1  is methyl and R2 is a C7-C10 linear alkyl group.  
     
     
         9 . The solid catalyst component according to  claim 7  in which the 1,3-diether is 2-methyl-2-pentyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-methyl-2-n-hexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-n-heptyl-2-methyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-n-octyl-2-methyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-n-decyl-2-methyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-ethyl-2-pentyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-ethyl-2-n-hexyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane, 2-n-heptyl-2-ethyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, 2-n-octyl-2-ethyl-1,3 -dimethoxypropane, or 2-n-decyl-2-ethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane.  
     
     
         10 - 23 . (canceled)