Fluorinated Catalyst Systems and Methods of Forming the Same

Abstract

Supported catalyst systems and methods of forming the same are described herein. In one specific embodiment, the methods generally include providing an inorganic support material and contacting the inorganic support material with an aluminum fluoride compound represented by the formula AlF p X 3-p B q to form an aluminum fluoride impregnated support, wherein X is selected from Cl, Br and OH − , B is H 2 O, p is selected from 1 to 3 and q is selected from 0 to 6. The method further includes contacting the aluminum fluoride impregnated support with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system, wherein the transition metal compound is represented by the formula [L] m M[A] n ; wherein L is a bulky ligand, A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that a total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A polymerization process comprising:
 introducing a supported catalyst system comprising a fluorinated support composition and transition metal compound into a polymerization vessel, wherein the supported catalyst system is formed by a process comprising:
 providing a support material comprising silica-alumina prepared by cogel methods; 
 contacting the support material with a fluorinating agent selected from ammonium fluoride containing compounds to form a fluorinated support; 
 contacting the fluorinated support with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system; and 
   contacting the supported catalyst system with an olefin monomer within the polymerization vessel to form a polyolefin.   
     
     
         9 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming polyolefins comprising:
 providing an inorganic support material;   contacting the inorganic support material with an aluminum fluoride compound represented by the formula AlF p X 3-p B q  to form an aluminum fluoride impregnated support, wherein X is selected from Cl, Br and OH − , B is H 2 O, p is selected from 1 to 3 and q is selected from 0 to 6;   introducing the inorganic support material to a reaction zone;   introducing a transition metal compound to the reaction zone;   contacting the transition metal compound with the inorganic support material for in situ activation/heterogenization of the transition metal compound to form a catalyst system;   introducing an olefin monomer to the reaction zone; and   contacting the catalyst system with the olefin monomer to form a polyolefin.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming polyolefins comprising:
 identifying desired polymer properties;   providing a transition metal compound;   providing an inorganic support material;   contacting the inorganic support material with an aluminum fluoride compound represented by the formula AlF p X 3-p B q  to form an aluminum fluoride impregnated support, wherein X is selected from Cl, Br and OH − , B is H 2 O, p is selected from 1 to 3 and q is selected from 0 to 6;   contacting the transition metal compound with the support material to form an active supported catalyst system, wherein the contact of the transition metal compound with the support material occurs in proximity to contact with an olefin monomer; and   contacting the active supported catalyst system with the olefin monomer to form a polyolefin, wherein the polyolefin comprises the desired polymer properties.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming copolymers comprising:
 providing a transition metal compound represented by the formula [L] m M[A] n , wherein L is a bis-indenyl, A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that the total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency;
 providing an inorganic support material; 
 contacting the inorganic support material with an aluminum fluoride compound represented by the formula AlF p X 3-p B q  to form an aluminum fluoride impregnated support, wherein X is selected from Cl, Br and OH − , B is H 2 O, p is selected from 1 to 3 and q is selected from 0 to 6; 
 contacting the transition metal compound with the support material to form an active supported catalyst system, wherein the contact of the transition metal compound with the support material occurs in proximity to contact with monomer; and 
 contacting the active supported catalyst system with a plurality of monomers to form an copolymer. 
   
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a catalyst system comprising:
 providing an inorganic support material, wherein the inorganic support material has an acid strength (pKa) of less than about 4.8;   contacting the inorganic support material with an aluminum fluoride compound represented by the formula AlF p X 3-p B q  to form an aluminum fluoride impregnated support, wherein X is selected from Cl, Br and OH − , B is H 2 O, p is selected from 1 to 3 and q is selected from 0 to 6;   introducing an inorganic support material to a reaction zone;   introducing a transition metal compound to the reaction zone;   contacting the transition metal compound with the inorganic support material for in situ activation/heterogenization of the transition metal compound to form a catalyst system;   introducing an olefin monomer to the reaction zone; and   contacting the catalyst system with the olefin monomer to form a polyolefin.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of forming a catalyst composition for olefin polymerization:
 providing an inorganic support composition, wherein the inorganic support composition comprises aluminum, fluorine and silica;   contacting the inorganic support composition with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system, wherein the transition metal compound is represented by the formula [L] m M[A] n ; wherein L is a ligand, A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that a total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency; and   contacting the inorganic support composition, the transition metal compound, the supported catalyst system or combinations thereof with a plurality of compounds, wherein the plurality of compounds comprise a first compound comprising an organo aluminum compound and a second compound comprising boron.   
     
     
         27 . A polymerization process comprising:
 providing an inorganic support composition, wherein the inorganic support composition comprises aluminum, fluorine and silica;   contacting the inorganic support composition with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system, wherein the transition metal compound is represented by the formula [L] m M[A] n ; A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that a total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency;   contacting the inorganic support composition, the transition metal compound, the supported catalyst system or combinations thereof with at least one compound represented by the formula XR n , wherein X is selected from Group 12 to 13 metals, lanthanide series metals or combinations thereof and each R is independently selected from alkyls, alkoxys, aryls, aryloxys, halogens, hydrides, Group 1 or 2 metals, organic nitrogen compounds, organic phosphorous compounds and combinations thereof and n is from 2 to 5; and   contacting the supported catalyst system with an olefin monomer to form a polyolefin.