Metal complex with a bridged cyclopentadienyl amidine ligand

1. A metal complex of the formula (1)

wherein:

M is a group 4-6 metal;

R 1 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, and R 1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom via the heteroatom;

R 2 -R 5 are the same or different, and each of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkoxy group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryl group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryloxy group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyl group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyloxy group, a silyl group substituted with at least one optionally substituted C1-20 hydrocarbon group, or a C1-20 hydrocarbon-substituted amino group, and adjacent ones of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 may be linked to each other to form a ring;

R 6 -R 9 are the same or different, and each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkoxy group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryl group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryloxy group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyl group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyloxy group, a silyl group substituted with at least one optionally substituted C1-20 hydrocarbon group a C1-20 hydrocarbon-substituted amino group and adjacent ones of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 may be linked to each other to form a ring;

L is a neutral ligand, and j is an integer denoting the number of neutral ligands L, wherein j is 0 to n, with n being an amount that satisfies 18 electrons of valance shells of the metal M; and

X is an anionic ligand, and r is an integer denoting the number of anionic ligands X to provide charge neutrality.

2. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr and Hf.

3. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 -R 5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-5 alkyl group.

4. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein the heteroatom of group 15 is a nitrogen atom, through which R1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom.

5. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein X represents a halogen atom, a C1-10 alkyl group, a C7-20 aralkyl group, a C6-20 aryl group, or a C1-20 hydrocarbon-substituted amino group, wherein if r is greater than 1, each X is independently of any other X one of the specified substituents.

6. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein j is zero.

7. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 is a hydrogen atom.

8. The metal complex according to claim 1 , wherein:

the heteroatom of group 15 is a nitrogen atom, through which R1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom, and R 1 is of the general formula —NR 10 R 11 with R 10 and R 11 being individually selected from the group of aliphatic C1-10 hydrocarbyl, halogenated aliphatic C1-10 hydrocarbyl, aromatic C6-20 hydrocarbyl, and halogenated C6-20 aromatic hydrocarbonyl residues, and R 10 and R 11 may be linked to each other to form a ring, or one of R 10 and R 11 may be linked with any one of the radicals R 6 to R 9 to form a ring;

M is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr and Hf;

R 2 -R 5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-5 alkyl group;

X represents a halogen atom, a C1-10 alkyl group, a C7-20 aralkyl group, a C6-20 aryl group, or a C1-20 hydrocarbon-substituted amino group, wherein if r is greater than 1, each X is independently of any other X one of the specified substituents;

j is zero; and

each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 is a hydrogen atom.

9. The metal complex according to claim 8 , wherein:

R 1 is dimethylamide, diisopropylamide, dicyclohexylamide, or N-dimethylphenyl N-ethylamide;

M is Ti;

X is Cl or methyl; and

each of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 is methyl.

10. A process for producing the metal complex represented by the formula (I) according to claim 1 , the process comprising reacting a substituted cyclopentadiene compound of the formula (2)

with a metal compound represented by the formula (3)

MX (r+2) L j   (3).

11. A catalyst system comprising:

a) a metal complex of the formula (1) according to claim 1 , and

b) an activator.

12. The catalyst system according to claim 11 , further comprising a scavenger c), wherein the scavenger c) is a hydrocarbyl of a metal or metalloid of group 1-13, or a reaction product of the hydrocarbyl with at least one sterically hindered compound containing a group 15 or 16 atom.

13. The catalyst system according to claim 11 , wherein the activator b) is at least one of a borane, a borate, or an organoaluminum compound.

14. A process for the preparation of a polymer by polymerizing at least one olefinic monomer, the process comprising contacting the monomer with a catalyst system comprising the metal complex according to claim 1 .

15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one olefinic monomer comprises ethylene and at least a C 3 -C 12 -α-olefin.

16. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one olefinic monomer comprises ethylene, at least one C 3-12 alpha olefin, and at least one non-conjugated diene selected from the group consisting of 5-methylene-2-norbornene 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene, 5-vinylnorbornene, 2,5-norbornadiene, dicyclopentadiene and vinylcyclohexene.

17. A compound of the formula (2)

wherein:

R 1 is a substituent comprising a heteroatom of group 15, and R 1 is bonded to the imine carbon atom via the heteroatom;

R 2 -R 5 are the same or different, and each of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkoxy group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryl group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryloxy group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyl group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyloxy group, a silyl group substituted with at least one optionally substituted C1-20 hydrocarbon group, or a C1-20 hydrocarbon-substituted amino group, and adjacent ones of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 may be linked to each other to form a ring; and

R 6 -R 9 are the same or different, and each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkoxy group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryl group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryloxy group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyl group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyloxy group, a silyl group substituted with at least one optionally substituted C1-20 hydrocarbon group, a C1-20 hydrocarbon-substituted amino group and adjacent ones of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 may be linked to each other to form a ring.

18. A process for the manufacturing of a compound of the formula (2) according to claim 17 , the process comprising reacting at least one of a nitrile of formula (4) and an oxime of formula (5)

with at least one of an organic lithium compound LiR 1 and an organic magnesium compound Mg(Hal)R 1 wherein

R 10 represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-10 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C6-20 aryl group, an optionally substituted C7-20 aralkyl group, or a silyl group optionally substituted with at least one optionally substituted C1-20 hydrocarbon, and

Hal means a halide.