Transition metal complexes, and catalysts compositions for preparing ethylene homopolymers or copolymers

1. A transition metal complex represented by the following Chemical Formula I, which has, around a group IV transition metal, a cyclopentadiene derivative and at least one aryl oxide ligand with a heterocyclic aryl derivative substituted at the ortho-position thereof, with no crosslinkage between the cyclopentadiene derivative and the at least one aryl oxide ligand:

wherein

M is a group IV transition metal in the periodic table;

Cp is a cyclopentadienyl ring or a fused ring including a cyclopentadienyl ring, which is η 5 -bonded to the central metal M, wherein the cyclopentadienyl ring or cyclopentadienyl fused ring may be further substituted with (C1-C20) alkyl, (C6-C30) aryl, (C2-C20) alkenyl or (C6-C30) aryl (C1-C20) alkyl;

A is a substituent

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are, independently of each other, hydrogen, (C1-C20) alkyl, (C3-C20) cycloalkyl, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C30) aryl-substituted silyl, (C6-C30) aryl, (C6-C30) aryl (C1-C10) alkyl, (C1-C20) alkoxy, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C20) aryl-substituted siloxy, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C30) aryl-substituted amino, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C30) aryl-substituted phosphino, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted mercapto or nitro, wherein the alkyl, aryl or alkoxy group of said R 1 to R 8 may be further substituted with halogen or may form a fused ring together with a neighboring substituent;

D is N—R 9 , oxygen or sulfur;

R 9 is linear or branched (C1-C20) alkyl, (C6-C30) aryl, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C30) aryl-substituted silyl;

n is an integer 1 or 2; and

X is, independently of each other, halogen, (C1-C20) alkyl, (C3-C20) cycloalkyl, (C6-C30) aryl (C1-C20) alkyl, (C1-C20) alkoxy, (C3-C20) alkylsiloxy, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C30) aryl-substituted amino, (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted or (C6-C30) aryl-substituted phosphino or (C1-C20) alkyl-substituted mercapto.

2. The transition metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein said M is titanium.

3. The transition metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein said Cp is cyclopentadienyl or pentamethylcyclopentadienyl.

4. The transition metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein said R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are, independently of each other, selected from hydrogen, methyl and isopropyl.

5. The transition metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein said X is, independently of each other, selected from chlorine, methyl, methoxy, isopropoxy and dimethylamino.

6. The transition metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein said n is 2.

7. A transition metal catalyst composition for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin comprising:

the transition metal complex according to any of claims 1 to 6 ; and

an alkylaluminoxane or organoaluminum cocatalyst, a boron compound cocatalyst or a mixture thereof.

8. The transition metal catalyst composition for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 7 , wherein the alkylaluminoxane cocatalyst is methylaluminoxane.

9. The transition metal catalyst composition for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 7 , wherein a molar ratio of transition metal M:aluminum atom is 1:50 to 1:5,000.

10. The transition metal catalyst composition for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 7 , wherein the boron compound cocatalyst is selected from N,N-dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate or triphenylmethylinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate.

11. The transition metal catalyst composition for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 7 , wherein a molar ratio of transition metal M:boron atom:aluminum atom is 1:0.5-5:25-500.

12. The transition metal catalyst composition for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 7 , wherein the aluminoxane or organoaluminum cocatalyst is selected from methylaluminoxane, triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum or a mixture thereof.

13. A method for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin using the transition metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein ethylene is polymerized with at least one comonomer selected from propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-undecene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene or 1-eicosene, and the ethylene content in the copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin is 60-99% by weight.

14. A method for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin using the transition metal catalyst composition according to claim 7 , wherein ethylene is polymerized with at least one comonomer selected from propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-undecene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene or 1-eicosene, and the ethylene content in the copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin is 60-99% by weight.

15. The method for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 13 , wherein a pressure of the ethylene monomer in a reactor is 8-150 atm and a polymerization temperature is 80-250° C.

16. The method for the preparation of an ethylene homopolymer or a copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin according to claim 14 , wherein a pressure of the ethylene monomer in a reactor is 8-150 atm and a polymerization temperature is 80-250° C.