Aqueous titanation of Cr/silica catalysts by the use of acetylacetonate and another ligand

1. A pre-catalyst composition comprising:

a) a silica support comprising a silica wherein an amount of the silica is in a range of from about 70 wt. % to about 95 wt. % based upon a total weight of the silica support; and

b) a titanium-containing solution having a pH of from about 2.5 to about 5.5 wherein the titanium containing solution comprises:

i) a titanium-containing compound comprising titanium (IV) wherein an amount of titanium is in a range of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based upon the total weight of the silica support wherein the titanium-containing compound has a formula Ti(acac) 2 (OR) 2 , wherein “acac” is acetylacetonate and wherein each R independently is ethyl, isopropyl, n-propyl, isobutyl, or n-butyl; and

ii) a glycol in an amount ranging from about 1 mole to about 4 moles per mole of titanium present in the pre-catalyst and wherein the glycol comprises ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of from 106 to 1000, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,2-cyclohexanediol, 1,4-cyclohexanediol, 1,2-octanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,2-decanediol, 1,10-decanediol, glycerol, 2,2-dimethylolpropane, trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, sorbitol, 1,2,4-butanediol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol, 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, 1,2-benzenediol (pyrocatechol), 1,3-benzenediol (resorcinol), 1,4-benzenediol, methyl catechol, methyl resorcinol, 1,2,4-benzenetriol, 2-hydroxybenzylalcohol, 3-hydroxybenzylalcohol, 4-hydroxybenzylalcohol, 3,5-dihydroxybenzylalcohol, 1,2-benzenedimethanol, 1,3-benzenedimethanol, 1,4-benzenedimethanol, 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol, 2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol, 2-phenyl-1,2-propanediol, bisphenol A (2,2-di(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane), bisphenol F (bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane), bisphenol S (4,4′-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone), bisphenol Z (4,4′-cyclohexylidenebisphenol), bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)methane, or combinations thereof.

2. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the glycol comprises ethylene glycol, glycerol, or a combination thereof.

3. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 1 , further comprising (c) chromium in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 10% based upon a total weight of the pre-catalyst.

4. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 3 , wherein the glycol comprises ethylene glycol, glycerol, or a combination thereof.

5. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the titanium-containing solution is an aqueous solution.

6. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 1 , wherein the silica support comprises from about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of water based on the total weight of the silica support.

7. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 1 , the titanium containing solution further comprising a solvent selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, an alcohol, a ketone and a combination of thereof.

8. A pre-catalyst composition comprising:

a) a silica support comprising a silica wherein an amount of the silica is in a range of from about 70 wt. % to about 95 wt. % based upon a total weight of the silica support; and

b) a titanium-containing solution having a pH of from about 2.5 to about 5.5 wherein the titanium containing solution comprises:

i) a titanium-containing compound comprising titanium (IV) wherein an amount of titanium is in a range of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based upon the total weight of the silica support and wherein the titanium-containing compound has a formula Ti(acac) 2 (OR) 2 , wherein “acac” is acetylacetonate and wherein each R independently is ethyl, isopropyl, n-propyl, isobutyl, or n-butyl;

ii) a chromium-containing compound wherein an amount of chromium is in the range of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the silica support; and

iii) a glycol in an amount ranging from about 1 mole to about 4 moles per mole of titanium present in the pre-catalyst, wherein the glycol comprises ethylene glycol, glycerol, propylene glycol, butane glycol, or a combination thereof.

9. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 8 , wherein the titanium-containing solution is an aqueous solution.

10. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 8 , wherein the silica support comprises from about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of water based on the total weight of the silica support.

11. The pre-catalyst composition of claim 8 , the titanium containing solution further comprising a solvent selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, an alcohol, a ketone and a combination of thereof.