Pseudo-block copolymers and process employing chain shuttling agent

1. A single reactor continuous process for the polymerization of one or more addition polymerizable monomers to form a polymer comprising multiple regions or segments having differentiated polymer compositions or properties, said process comprising:

contacting an addition polymerizable monomer or mixture of monomers under addition polymerization conditions with a composition comprising a single olefin polymerization catalyst, a cocatalyst and a chain shuttling agent; and

forming at least some of the growing polymer chains under differentiated process conditions such that two or more blocks or segments formed within at least some of the resulting polymer are chemically or physically distinguishable

wherein the differentiated process condition is a monomer gradient maintained between at least two regions of the reactor.

2. The process of claim 1 comprising forming a pseudo-block polymer comprising two or more intramolecular regions or segments comprising differing chemical or physical properties and possessing a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, of less than 3.0.

3. The process of claim 2 comprising forming a polymer mixture comprising: (1) an organic or inorganic polymer, and (2) a the pseudo-block polymer.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises a metal complex corresponding to the formula:

wherein:

R 11 is selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, aryl, and inertly substituted derivatives thereof containing from 1 to 30 atoms not counting hydrogen or a divalent derivative thereof;

T 1 is a divalent bridging group of from 1 to 41 atoms other than hydrogen, and

R 12 is a C 5-20 heteroaryl group containing Lewis base functionality;

M 1 is a group 4 metal;

X 1 is an anionic, neutral or dianionic ligand group;

x′ is a number from 0 to 5 indicating the number of such X 1 groups; and

bonds, optional bonds and electron donative interactions are represented by lines, dotted lines and arrows respectively.

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises a metal complex corresponding to the formula:

wherein:

M 2 is a metal of Groups 4-10 of the Periodic Table of the elements;

T 2 is a nitrogen, oxygen or phosphorus containing group;

X 2 is halo, hydrocarbyl, or hydrocarbyloxy;

t is one or two;

x″ is a number selected to provide charge balance;

and T 2 and N are linked by a bridging ligand.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein the pseudo-block copolymer comprises in polymerized form at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene and 4-methyl-1-pentene.

7. The process of claim 4 wherein T 1 is 1 to 20 atoms other than hydrogen.

8. The process of claim 4 wherein T 1 is a mono- or di-C 1-20 hydrocarbyl substituted methylene or silane group.

9. The process of claim 4 wherein R 12 is pyridin-2-yl- or substituted pyridin-2-yl group or a divalent derivative thereof.

10. The process of claim 4 wherein M 1 is hafnium.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the process is performed in a loop reactor.