Metal complexes and polymerization process using same

1. A metal complex corresponding to the formula:

where M is titanium, zirconium or hafnium in the +2, +3 or +4 formal oxidation state;

R 1 independently each occurrence is hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, trihydrocarbylsilyl, trihydrocarbylsilylhydrocarbyl, germyl, halide, hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbylsiloxy, hydrocarbylsilylamino, di(hydrocarbyl)amino, hydrocarbyleneamino, di(hydrocarbyl)phosphino, hydrocarbylene-phosphino, hydrocarbylsulfido, halo-substituted hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy-substituted hydrocarbyl, silyl-substituted hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbylsiloxy-substituted hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbylsilylamino-substituted hydrocarbyl, di(hydrocarbyl)amino-substituted hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyleneamino-substituted hydrocarbyl, di(hydrocarbyl)phosphino-substituted hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbylenephosphino-substituted hydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbylsulfido-substituted hydrocarbyl, said R 1 group having up to 40 atoms not counting hydrogen atoms, and optionally two or more of the foregoing adjacent R 1 groups may together form a divalent derivative thereby forming a saturated or unsaturated fused ring;

R 4 is hydrocarbyl, silyl, germyl, or halohydrocarbyl or up to 10 atoms other than hydrogen;

Z is a divalent moiety lacking in delocalized π-electrons, or such a moiety comprising one σ-bond and a neutral two electron pair able to form a coordinate-covalent bond to M, said Z comprising boron, or a member of Group 14 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and also comprising nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur or oxygen;

X is a monovalent anionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms exclusive of the class of ligands that are cyclic ligand groups bound to M through delocalized π-electrons;

L independently each occurrence is a neutral ligating compound having up to 20 atoms;

X′ is a divalent anionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms;

x is 0, 1, 2, or 3;

t is a number from 0 to 2, and

x′ is 0 or 1.

2. A metal complex corresponding to the formula:

wherein,

M is titanium in the +2, +3 or +4 formal oxidation state;

R 1 independently each occurrence is hydrogen or C 1-10 hydrocarbyl, and optionally two or more of the foregoing adjacent R 1 groups may together form a divalent derivative thereby forming a saturated or unsaturated fused ring;

R 4 is C 1-4 alkyl;

Z is a divalent moiety lacking in delocalized electrons, or such a moiety comprising one σ-bond and a neutral two electron pair able to form a coordinate-covalent bond to M, said Z comprising boron, or a member of Group 14 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and also comprising nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur or oxygen;

X is a monovalent anionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms exclusive of the class of ligands that are cyclic ligand groups bound to M through delocalized π-electrons;

L independently each occurrence is a neutral ligating compound having up to 20 atoms;

X′ is a divalent anionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms;

x is 0, 1, 2, or 3;

t is a number from 0 to 2, and

x′ is 0 or 1.

3. The metal complex according to claim 2 , corresponding to the formula:

wherein,

M is titanium in the +2 or +4 formal oxidation state;

R 7 independently each occurrence is C 1-10 hydrocarbyl;

R 8 is C 1-10 alkyl or cycloalkyl;

X is a chloride, C 1-4 alkyl or benzyl;

L independently each occurrence is a neutral ligating compound having up to 20 atoms;

X′ is 1,4-butanediyl or (2,3-dimethyl-1,4-butanediyl);

x is 0 or 2;

t is a number from 0 to 2, and

x′ is 0 or 1.

4. A metal complex according to claim 3 selected from the group consisting of:

(t-butylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene,

(t-butylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,3-pentadiene,

(t-butylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzyl,

(t-butylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dichloride,

(t-butylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dimethyl,

(t-butylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dibenzyl,

(cyclohexylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene,

(cyclohexylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,3-pentadiene,

(cyclohexylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (III) 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzyl,

(cyclohexylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dichloride,

(cyclohexylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dimethyl,

(cyclohexylamido)dimethyl-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dibenzyl,

(t-butylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene,

(t-butylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,3-pentadiene,

(t-butylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (III) 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzyl,

(t-butylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dichloride,

(t-butylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dimethyl,

(t-butylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dibenzyl,

(cyclohexylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene,

(cyclohexylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methyl isoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (II) 1,3-pentadiene,

(cyclohexylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (III) 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzyl,

(cyclohexylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dichloride,

(cyclohexylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dimethyl, and

(cyclohexylamido)di(p-methylphenyl)-[6,7]benzo-[4,5:2′,3′](1-methylisoindol)-(3H)-indene-2-yl)silanetitanium (IV) dibenzyl.

5. A process for the polymerization of an addition polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture comprising contacting said monomer or mixture of monomers under addition polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition comprising the reaction product or admixture of:

(A) a metal complex according to any one of claims 1 - 4 ; and

(B) a cocatalyst that forms an active polymerization catalyst species in combination with (A).

6. The process of claim 5 wherein an olefin monomer or a mixture of olefin monomers is polymerized.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein ethylene and a vinylaromatic monomer are copolymerized.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein ethylene and styrene are copolymerized.