Process for the production of a polymer comprising monomeric units of ethylene, an α-oplefin and a vinyl norbornene

1. Process for the preparation of a polymer comprising monomeric units of ethylene,

an α-olefin and

a vinyl norbornene,

applying as a catalyst system:

a. a group 4 metal containing catalyst having a single cyclopentadienyl ligand and a mono substituted nitrogen ligand, wherein said catalyst is defined by the formula I:

wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of:

ai) a phosphorus substituent defined by the formula:

wherein each R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom,

a halogen atom,

C 1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are unsubstituted by a halogen atom

C 1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are further substituted by a halogen atom,

a C 1-8 alkoxy radical,

a C 6-10 aryl radical

a C 6-10 aryloxy radical,

an amido radical, and

a silyl radical of the formula:

—Si—(R 2 ) 3   Form. III.

wherein each R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,

a C 1-8 alkyl radical,

a C 1-8 alkoxy radical,

C 6-10 aryl radicals,

C 6-10 aryloxy radicals, and

a germanyl radical of the formula:

—Ge—(R 2 ) 3   Form. IV.

wherein R 2 ′ is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,

a C 1-8 alkyl radical,

a C 1-8 alkoxy radical,

C 6-10 aryl radicals and,

C 6-10 aryloxy radicals,

aii) a substituent defined by the formula:

wherein each of U is CR 3 R 3 , C═CR 3 R 3 , C═NR 3 , SiR 3 R 3 , C═O, NR 3 , P R 3 , O or S,

Z is -A=A, and each A is CR 3 , N or P,

each R 3 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen,

hydrocarbyl radical,

silyl radical according to form. III and

germanyl radical according to form. IV,

k, m and n have independently the value 0, 1, 2 or 3, provided that k+m+n>0 and

aiii) a substituent defined by the formula:

wherein each of Sub 1 and Sub 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyls having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, silyl groups, amido groups and phosphido groups;

Cp is a ligand selected from the group consisting of cyclopentadienyl, substituted cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, substituted indenyl, fluorenyl and substituted fluorenyl;

X is an activatable ligand and n is 1 or 2, depending upon the valence of M and the valence of X; and

M is a group 4 metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, hafnium and zirconium, and

b. an aluminoxane activating compound,

to produce said polymer with the following properties:

[VNB]>0.01 and

Δδ>30−15*[VNB], provided that Δδ is not negative,

[VNB] is the content of vinyl norbornene in the polymer in weight % and Δδ is, expressed in degrees, the difference between the phase angle δ at an angular frequency of 0.1 rad/s and the phase angle δ at an angular frequency of 100 rad/s, as measured by dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, at a temperature of 125° C.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said polymer has a Δδ>35−15* [VNB].

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein said polymer has a vinyl norbornene content of between 0.1 and 4 weight %.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein said polymer comprises at least 0.01 weight % 5-ethylene-2-norbornene.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said polymer has a Δδ>25−12.5* (Q-2),

wherein Q=Mw/Mn, Mw is the weight average molecular weight and Mn is the number average molecular weight.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst system further comprises 0.20 mol or less, per mol of the catalyst of a further activating compound.

7. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst used contains a phosphinimine ligand which is covalently bonded to the metal, defined by the formula:

wherein each R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom,

a halogen atom,

C 1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are unsubstituted by a halogen atom,

C 1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals which are further substituted by a halogen atom,

a C 1-8 alkoxy radical,

a C 6-10 aryl radical,

a C 6-10 aryloxy radical,

an amido radical,

a silyl radical of the formula III and

a germanyl radical of the formula IV.

8. Process according to claim 7 , wherein the catalyst comprises as phosphinimine ligand tri-(tertiary butyl) phosphinimine.

9. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the alumoxane used is of the formula: (R 4 ) 2 AlO(R 4 AlO) m Al(R 4 ) 2 wherein each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-20 hydrocarbyl radicals and m is from 0 to 50.