Process for Producing Procatalyst Composition with Alkoxyalkyl Ester Internal Electron Donor and Product

Abstract

Disclosed herein are processes for preparing procatalyst compositions with an internal electron donor containing greater than 4.5 wt % of a compounded alkoxyalkyl ester. Also disclosed are catalyst compositions containing the procatalyst composition and polymers, i.e., propylene-based polymers, produced therefrom. The present procatalyst compositions improve catalyst selectivity, catalyst activity, procatalyst morphology and polymer particle morphology, and improve hydrogen response during olefin polymerization.

1 . A process comprising:
 first contacting a procatalyst precursor with an alkoxyalkyl ester and a halogenating agent to form a procatalyst intermediate;   second contacting the procatalyst intermediate with an alkoxyalkyl ester that is the same or different than the alkoxyalkyl ester in the first contacting, and a halogenating agent; and   forming a procatalyst composition comprising a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety and the alkoxyalkyl ester.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  comprising forming a procatalyst composition comprising a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety and greater than 4.5 wt % of the alkoxyalkyl ester. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the first contacting comprises adding a first alkoxyalkyl ester and a second alkoxyalkyl ester to the reaction mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the second contacting comprises adding a first alkoxyalkyl ester and a second alkoxyalkyl ester to the procatalyst intermediate. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the first contacting occurs in a reaction mixture, the process comprising reacting the halogenating agent with the procatalyst precursor in a reaction mixture having a temperature from 30° C. to 150° C.; and
 adding the alkoxyalkyl ester from greater than 0 minutes to about 30 minutes after the reacting. 
 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  comprising third contacting the procatalyst intermediate with an alkoxyalkyl ester and a halogenating agent; and
 forming a procatalyst composition comprising greater than 5.0 wt % alkoxyalkyl ester. 
 
     
     
         7 . A process comprising:
 first halogenating a procatalyst precursor to form a reaction mixture;   heating the reaction mixture to a temperature from 30° C. to 150° C.;   first adding an alkoxyalkyl ester to the reaction mixture from greater than 0 minutes to 30 minutes after the heating to form a procatalyst intermediate;   second halogenating the procatalyst intermediate;   second adding an alkoxyalkyl ester to the procatalyst intermediate; and   forming particles of a procatalyst composition, the particles having a particle size distribution (PSD) span of less than 2.0.   
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  comprising second heating the procatalyst intermediate to a temperature from 30° C. to 150° C. before the second adding. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7  comprising forming a procatalyst composition comprising a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety and greater than 5.0 wt % of the alkoxyalkyl ester. 
     
     
         10 . A procatalyst composition comprising:
 a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety, and greater than 4.5 wt % of a compounded alkoxyalkyl ester.   
     
     
         11 . The procatalyst composition of  claim 10  wherein the alkoxyalkyl ester has the structure (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R, R 1  and R 2  are the same or different, each of R and R 1  is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, a substituted C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, and a C 2 -C 20  alkene group; and 
         R 2  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, a substituted C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, and a C 2 -C 20  alkene group. 
       
     
     
         12 . The procatalyst composition of  claim 10  wherein the alkoxyalkyl ester is an aromatic alkoxyethyl ester with the structure (III) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  and R 2  are the same or different, R 1  is selected from the group consisting of a C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, a substituted C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, and a C 2 -C 20  alkene group; 
         R 2  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, a substituted C 1 -C 20  primary alkyl group, and a C 2 -C 20  alkene group; and 
         R 3 , R 4 , R 5  are the same or different, each of R 3 , R 4 , R 5  is selected from the group consisting of a heteroatom, a C 1 -C 20  hydrocarbyl group, a substituted C 1 -C 20  hydrocarbyl group, and a C 1 -C 20  hydrocarbyloxy group. 
       
     
     
         13 . The procatalyst composition of  claim 10  wherein the alkoxyalkyl ester is 2-methoxy-1-methyethyl benzoate. 
     
     
         14 . The procatalyst composition of  claim 10  wherein the alkoxyalkyl ester is 2-methoxyethyl benzoate. 
     
     
         15 . A catalyst composition comprising:
 a procatalyst composition comprising a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety, and greater than 4.5 wt % of a compounded alkoxyalkyl ester;   a cocatalyst; and   optionally an external electron donor.