Polymerisation of Ethylene and Alpha Olefins with Single Site Catalysts having an Anionic Scorpion-Like Ligand

1 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A deprotonated ligand of general formula I:

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are each independently selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyls and inert functional groups and wherein two or more of said R's can be linked together to form one or more rings, with the restriction that R 1 and R 3 , R 2 and R 4 , and R 9 and R 10 , cannot all be simultaneously oxazoline, wherein Z is selected from groups 15 and 16 of the Periodic Table and m is the valence of Z minus one.

16 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 15 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are the same or different and are selected from alkyl groups, aryl groups and cycloalkyl groups.

17 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 16 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are the same and are phenyl groups.

18 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 15 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are the same or different, and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl groups, aryl groups and cycloalkyl groups.

19 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 18 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are either alkyl groups or are linked together to form a cyclohexyl ring.

20 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 15 , wherein R 1 with R 3 and/or R 2 with R 4 are linked together to form a ring.

21 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 15 , wherein Z is selected from N, P, O and S.

22 . The deprotonated ligand of claim 15 , wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are the same or different, and are selected from hydrogen, alkyl groups, aryl groups and cycloalkyl groups.

23 . A catalyst component of general formula IV:

wherein the catalyst component results from the complexation of the deprotonated ligand I of claim 15 with the metallic salt MX′ n+1 in a solvent, wherein M is a metal Group 3 to 10 of the periodic Table, X′ is the same or different and is selected from halogens, alcoholates and hydrocarbyls and wherein n+1 is the valence of M and characterised in that pending arm

is folding to coordinate heteroatom Z to metal M.

24 . The catalyst component of claim 23 , wherein M is selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Pd.

25 . An active catalyst system comprising the catalyst component of claim 23 and an activating agent having an ionising action.

26 . A method for preparing an active catalysts system comprising:

providing a beta-diimine ligand precursor;

reacting the beta-diimine ligand precursor with compound III to obtain a ligand;

deprotonating the ligand by subtracting a R 5 hydrogen with a base to form a deprotonated ligand;

complexing the deprotonated ligand with a metallic salt MX′ n+1 to form the catalyst component of claim 23 ;

retrieving the catalyst component;

activating the catalyst component with an activating agent having an ionising action;

optionally adding a cocatalyst; and

retrieving an active oligomerisation or polymerisation catalyst system.