Catalyst activators, processes for making same, and use thereof in catalysts and polymerization of olefins

1. A composition derived from at least:

a) a carrier;

b) a treated organoaluminoxy compound, which is derived from at least an organoaluminoxy compound and a component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton; and

c) an ionic compound having at least one active proton.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an inorganic oxide.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the inorganic oxide has a micro pore volume of not less than about 0.3 ml/g and an average particle diameter of about 10 micrometers to about 500 micrometers.

4. The composition of claim 2 wherein the inorganic oxide comprises silica, alumina, silica-alumina, magnesia, titania, zirconia, or clays.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the organoaluminoxy compound comprises an alkylaluminoxane.

6. The composition of claim 5 wherein the alkylaluminoxane comprises methylaluminoxane, ethylaluminoxane, n-propylaluminoxane, iso-propylaluminoxane, n-butylaluminoxane, iso-butylaluminoxane, sec-butylaluminoxane, n-pentylaluminoxane, n-hexylaluminoxane, n-heptylaluminoxane, or n-octylaluminoxane.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton comprises pentafluorophenol, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenol, 2,4,6-trifluorophenol, 2,3-difluorophenol, 2,4-difluorophenol, 2,5-difluorophenol, 2,6-difluorophenol, 3,4-difluorophenol, 3,5-difluorophenol, 2-fluorophenol, 3-fluorophenol, 4-fluorophenol, 2-trifluoromethylphenol, 3-trifluoromethylphenol, 4-trifluoromethylphenol, pentafluorobenzyl alcohol, pentafluorothiophenol, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl alcohol, 1H, 1H-pentafluoro-propanol, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propyl alcohol, pentachlorophenol, pentabromophenol, 2-chloro-4-fluorophenol, 2-bromo-4-fluorophenol, 2-bromo-4,5-difluorophenol, tetrafluorocatechol, or tetrafluorohydroquinone.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ionic compound having at least one active proton is derived from at least a Lewis base and a portion of the component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein the Lewis base comprises at least one NR 2 3 , wherein each R 2 is a hydrocarbyl group having up to about 20 carbon atoms and each R 2 can be the same as, or different from, any other R 2 .

10. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the Lewis base comprises NMe 2 Ph, NMe 2 (CH 2 Ph), NEt 2 Ph, NEt 2 (CH 2 Ph), NMe(C n H 2n+1 )(C m H 2m+1 ), NMe 2 (C n H 2n+1 ), NEt(C n H 2n+1 )(C m H 2m+1 ), or NEt 2 (C n H 2n+1 ) and wherein n and m are independently an integer from 3 to 20.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is suitable for activating an alkylated transition metal component by protonatation.

12. A composition derived from at least:

a) a carrier;

b) a treated organoaluminoxy compound, which is derived from at least an organoaluminoxy compound and a component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton; and

c) N,N-dimethylaniline and pentafluorophenol in amounts such that there are at least 2 moles of pentafluorophenol per mole of the N,N-dimethylaniline.

13. A catalyst for olefin polymerization, wherein the catalyst comprises the composition of claim 1 and an alkylated transition metal component.

14. A method of preparing a composition comprising combining at least:

a) a carrier;

b) a treated organoaluminoxy compound, which is prepared by combining at least an organoaluminoxy compound and a component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton; and

c) an ionic compound having at least one active proton.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the carrier comprises an inorganic oxide.

16. The method of, claim 14 wherein the carrier, the treated organoaluminoxy compound, and the ionic compound having at least one active proton are combined in amounts sufficient and under conditions sufficient such that the composition is suitable for activating alkylated transition metal component by protonation.

17. A method of preparing a catalyst for olefin polymerization, comprising combining an alkylated transition metal component with composition derived from at least a carrier; a treated organoaluminoxy compound, which is derived from at least an organoaluminoxy compound and a component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton; and an ionic compound having at least one active proton.

18. A method of polymerizing monomer comprising combining the catalyst of claim 13 and a monomer.

19. A method of polymerizing monomer comprising combining the composition of claim 1 , an alkylated transition metal component, and a monomer.

20. A composition derived from at least:

a) a carrier;

b) a treated organoaluminoxy compound, which is derived from at least an organoaluminoxy compound and a component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton; and

c) an ionic compound having at least one active proton, which is derived from N,N-dimethylaniline and pentafluorophenol.

21. A method of preparing a composition comprising combining at least:

a) a carrier;

b) a treated organoaluminoxy compound, which is derived from at least an organoaluminoxy compound and a component having at least one electron withdrawing group and at least one active proton; and

c) an ionic compound having at least one active proton, which is derived from N,N-dimethylaniline and pentafluorophenol.