Process for the preparation of a metal-organic compound comprising at least one imine ligand

1. A process for the preparation of a metal-organic compound, comprising at least one phosphinimine ligand, the process comprising contacting a HA adduct of a phosphinimine ligand compound according to formula 1 with a metal-organic reagent of formula 2 in the presence of at least 2 equivalents of a base, wherein HA represents an acid, of which H represents its proton and A its conjugate base,

with

Y═N—H   as formula 1,

and

M v (L 1 ) k (L 2 ) l (L 3 ) m (L 4 ) n X   as formula 2,

and wherein Y is defined by the formula:

wherein each R 1j , with j=1-3 is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C 1-8 alkoxy radical, a C 6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical, an amido radical, or a C 1-20 hydrocarbyl radical unsubstituted or substituted by a halogen atom, a C 1-8 alkoxy radical, a C 6-10 aryl or aryloxy radical, an amido radical, a silyl radical of the formula:

and a germanyl radical of the formula:

wherein R 2j is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C 1-8 alkyl or alkoxy radical, C 6-10 aryl and aryloxy radicals, each substituent R 1j or R 2j may be linked with another R 1 or R 2 to form a ring system, and M represents a group 4 or group 5 metal ion V represents the valency of the metal ion, being 3, 4 or 5 L1, L2, L3, and L4 represent a ligand or a group 17 halogen atom on M and may be equal or different, k, l, m, n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4 with k+l+m+n+1=V, and X represents a group 17 halogen atom.

2. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the base is an organic base, an inorganic base or a metal-organic base.

3. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic base is an amine or a phosphane.

4. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic base is a dialkylamine, a trialkylamine, a monoarylamine, a diarylamine or a triarylamine.

5. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the base is triethylamine, pyridine, tripropylamine, tributylamine, 1, 4-diaza-bicyclo [2.2.2] octane, pyrrolidine or piperidine.

6. A process according to claim 2 , wherein the base is a fluoride, a hydroxide, a cyanide, an amide, a carbonate of Li, Na, K, Rb Cs or an ammonium salt, a group 2 metal salt of Mg, Ca, or Ba, an alkali metal (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) phosphate, a phosphate ester, alkoxide or phenoxides of the phosphate ester, thallium hydroxide, alkylammonium hydroxides or fluorides, alkali metals, hydrides or carbonates of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs or group 2 hydrides.

7. A process according to claim 6 , wherein the alkali metal is chosen from Li, Na, or K.

8. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-organic base is a group 1, 2, 12, 13 hydrocarbanion.

9. A process according to claim 8 , wherein the metal-organic base is an organomagnesium- or an organolithium compound.

10. A process according to claim 1 , carried out in the presence of at least 3 respectively 4 equivalents of an organolithium- or an organomagnesium compound.

11. A process according to claim 1 wherein the reaction is carried out in an aprotic solvent.

12. A process according to claim 11 , wherein the solvent is the base.

13. Process for the preparation of a polyolefin comprising making a metal-organic compound according to the process of claim 1 , wherein the base is an olefin polymerisation compatible base, which metal-organic compound is activated anywhere in, or before polymerisation equipment, and polymerizing an olefin monomer in the presence of the organic compound.

14. Process according to claim 13 , wherein the metal-organic compound is used without purification.

15. Process according to claim 13 , wherein the metal-organic compound is formed in the polymerisation equipment.

16. Process according to claim 15 , wherein the metal organic compound is made in the presence of between 5 and 10 equivalents of the phosphinimine ligand compound according to formula 1.