Organometal catalyst compositions

1. A catalyst composition comprising:

a contact product of at least one organometal compound, at least one organoaluminum compound, and at least one fluorided silica-alumina, the catalyst composition having catalytic activity in the substantial absence of organoborates and aluminoxanes, wherein:

the organometal compound has the following general formula:

(X 1 )(X 2 )(X 3 )(X 4 )M 1

wherein: M 1 is zirconium or hafnium;

(X 1 ) is independently selected from cyclopentadienyls, indenyls, fluorenyls, substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, and substituted fluorenyls;

substituents on the substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, and substituted fluorenyls of (X 1 ) are selected from aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic and cyclic groups, silyl groups, alkyl halide groups, halides, organometallic groups, phosphorus groups, nitrogen groups, silicon, phosphorus, boron, or germanium;

at least one substituent on (X 1 ) can be a bridging group which connects (X 1 ) and (X 2 );

(X 3 ) and (X 4 ) are independently selected from halides, aliphatic groups substituted aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, substituted cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, amido groups, substituted amido groups, phosphido groups, substituted phosphido groups, alkyloxide groups, substituted alkyloxide groups, aryloxide groups, substituted aryloxide groups, organometallic groups, or substituted organometallic groups;

(X 2 ) is selected from cyclopentadienyls, indenyls, fluorenyls, substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, substituted fluorenyls, halides, aliphatic groups, substituted aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, substituted cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, amido groups, substituted amido groups, phosphido groups, substituted phosphido groups, alkyloxide groups, substituted alkyloxide groups, aryloxide groups, substituted aryloxide groups, organometallic groups, or substituted organometallic groups;

substituents on (X 2 ) are selected from aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, silyl groups, alkyl halide groups, halides, organometallic groups, phosphorus groups, nitrogen groups, silicon, phosphorus, boron, or germanium;

at least one substituent on (X 2 ) can be a bridging group which connects (X 1 ) and (X 2 );

the at least one organoaluminum compound has the general formula:

Al(X 5 ) n (X 6 ) 3-n

wherein:

(X 5 ) is a hydrocarbyl having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms;

(X 6 ) is a halide, hydride, or alkoxide; and

“n” is a number from 1 to 3 inclusive; and

the at least one fluorided silica-alumina comprises fluoride, silica, and alumina.

2. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than about 1000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

3. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than about 2000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

4. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than about 5000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

5. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than 8000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

6. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of organoaluminum compound to fluorided silica-alumina in a range from about 5:1 to about 1:1000.

7. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of organoaluminum compound to fluorided silica-alumina in a range from about 3:1 to about 1:100.

8. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of organoaluminum compound to fluorided silica-alumina in a range from 1:1 to 1:50.

9. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of fluorided silica-alumina to organometal compound in a range from about 10,000:1 to about 1:1.

10. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of fluorided silica-alumina to organometal compound in a range from about 1000:1 to about 10:1.

11. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of fluorided silica-alumina to organometal compound in a range from about 250:1 to 20:1.

12. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one organoaluminum compound is selected from trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, tripropylaluminum, diethylaluminum ethoxide, tributylaluminum, diisobutylaluminum hydride, triisobutylaluminum, or diethylaluminum chloride.

13. A catalyst composition comprising:

a post-contacted organometal compound, wherein the metal of the organometal compound is zirconium and hafnium,

a post-contacted organoaluminum compound, and

a post-contacted fluorided silica-alumina comprising fluoride, silica, and alumina; and

the catalyst composition being substantially free of organoborates and aluminoxanes.

14. The catalyst composition according to claim 3 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than about 1000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

15. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than about 2000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

16. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than about 5000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

17. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has an activity greater than 8000 grams of polymer per gram of fluorided silica-alumina per hour under slurry polymerization conditions, using isobutane as a diluent, with a polymerization temperature of 90° C., and an ethylene pressure of 550 psig.

18. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of organoaluminum compound to fluorided silica-alumina in a range from about 5:1 to about 1:1000.

19. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of organoaluminum compound to fluorided silica-alumina in a range from about 3:1 to about 1:100.

20. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of organoaluminum compound to fluorided silica-alumina in a range from 1:1 to 1:50.

21. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of fluorided silica-alumina to organometal compound in a range from about 10,000:1 to about 1:1.

22. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of fluorided silica-alumina to organometal compound in a range from about 1000:1 to about 10:1.

23. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the catalyst composition has a weight ratio of fluorided silica-alumina to organometal compound in a range from about 250:1 to 20:1.

24. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the

organometal compound, prior to contacting, has the following general formula:

(X 1 )(X 2 )(X 3 )(X 4 )M 1

wherein:

M 1 is zirconium or hafnium;

(X 1 ) is independently selected from cyclopentadienyls, indenyls, fluorenyls, substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, and substituted fluorenyls;

substituents on the substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, and substituted fluorenyls of (X 1 ) are selected from aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic and cyclic groups, silyl groups, alkyl halide groups, halides, organometallic groups, phosphorus groups, nitrogen groups, silicon, phosphorus, boron, or germanium;

at least one substituent on (X 1 ) can be a bridging group which connects (X 1 ) and (X 2 );

(X 3 ) and (X 4 ) are independently selected from halides, aliphatic groups substituted aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, substituted cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, amido groups, substituted amido groups, phosphido groups, substituted phosphido groups, alkyloxide groups, substituted alkyloxide groups, aryloxide groups, substituted aryloxide groups, organometallic groups, or substituted organometallic groups;

(X 2 ) is selected from cyclopentadienyls, indenyls, fluorenyls, substituted cyclopentadienyls, substituted indenyls, substituted fluorenyls, halides, aliphatic groups, substituted aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, substituted cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, combinations of substituted aliphatic groups and substituted cyclic groups, amido groups, substituted amido groups, phosphido groups, substituted phosphido groups, alkyloxide groups, substituted alkyloxide groups, aryloxide groups, substituted aryloxide groups, organometallic groups, or substituted organometallic groups;

substituents on (X 2 ) are selected from aliphatic groups, cyclic groups, combinations of aliphatic groups and cyclic groups, silyl groups, alkyl halide groups, halides, organometallic groups, phosphorus groups, nitrogen groups, silicon, phosphorus, boron, or germanium;

at least one substituent on (X 2 ) can be a bridging group which connects (X 1 ) and (X 2 ).

25. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the organoaluminum compound, prior to contacting, has the general formula:

Al(X 5 ) n (X 6 ) 3-n

wherein:

(X 5 ) is a hydrocarbyl having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms;

(X 6 ) is a halide, hydride, or alkoxide; and

“n” is a number from 1 to 3 inclusive.

26. The catalyst composition according to claim 13 , wherein the organoaluminum compound, prior to contacting, is selected from trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, tripropylaluminum, diethylaluminum ethoxide, tributylaluminum, diisobutylaluminum hydride, triisobutylaluminum, or diethylaluminum chloride.