Process for preparation of amorphous polyolefinic ionomers

1. A process for the manufacture of an amorphous polyolefinic ionomer comprising the steps of:

a1) copolymerizing at least one olefin monomer and at least one masked functionalized olefin monomer in the presence of a catalyst system,

wherein the olefin monomer is represented by CH 2 ═CHR 1 , wherein R 1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,

wherein the masked functionalized olefin monomer is a reaction product of a functionalized olefin monomer represented by the structure according to Formula (I) and a masking agent:

wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and hydrocarbyl with 1 to 16 carbon atoms,

wherein R 5 —[X—(R 6 )n]m is a polar functional group containing one or multiple heteroatom containing functionalities X—(R 6 )n wherein

X is selected from —O—, —S— or —CO 2 — and R 6 is H, and n is 1, or

X is N and R 6 is each independently selected from the group consisting of H and a hydrocarbyl group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms, and n is 2,

wherein R 5 is either —R(R 7a )(R 7b )— or a plurality of —R(R 7a )(R 7b )— groups, wherein R is C, wherein R 7a and R 7b are each independently selected from the group consisting of H or hydrocarbyl with 1 to 16 carbon atoms and R 5 comprises 1 to 10 carbon atoms,

wherein R 3 and R 5 may together form a ring structure that is functionalized with one or multiple X—(R 6 )n,

where X is attached to either R, R 7a , or R 7b , where m is an entire number between 1 and 10, and either

b1) treating the product of step a1) with a protic solution containing metal salts, ammonium salts or amines to perform an exchange reaction, or

a2) contacting the product of a1) with a Brønsted acid solution capable to abstract a residue derived from the masking agent from the product of a1) to obtain the amorphous functionalized olefin copolymer comprising the first olefin monomer and the functionalized olefin monomer,

and either

b2) treating the product of step a2) with a monovalent metal salt, a monocationic ammonium salt or a monofunctional amine,

or

b3) treating the product of step a2) with a multi-valent metal salt, a polycationic ammonium salt or a polyfunctional amine.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one olefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of propylene, 1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, vinyl cyclohexane, and 1-octene.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein the at least one functionalized olefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, 3-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-2-ol, 3-butene-1,2-diol, 5-hexen-1-ol, 5-hexene-1,2-diol, 7-octen-1-ol, 7-octene-1,2-diol, 9-decen-1-ol, 10-undecen-1-ol, 5-norbornene-2-methanol, 3-butenoic acid, 4-pentenoic acid or 10-undecenoic acid.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of the functionalized olefin monomers in step a1) is from 0.01 to 30 mol %, with respect to the total molar amount of the olefin monomers and the functionalized olefin monomers.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the masking agent is selected from trialkyl aluminum complexes, dialkyl magnesium complexes, dialkyl zinc complexes or trialkyl boron complexes.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in step b1) or b2) the metal salt is a fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, hydroxide, nitrite, nitrate, formate, acetate, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfite, sulfate, chlorate, perchlorate, bromate or EDTA salt of a metal selected from one or more of lithium, sodium, potassium and silver and/or the monofunctional amine is selected from NH 3 , Me 2 NH, NMe 3 , EtNH 2 , Et 3 N, BuNH 2 .

7. The process according to claim 1 wherein in step b1) or b3) the multi-valent metal salt is a fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, hydroxide, nitrite, nitrate, formate, acetate, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfite, sulfate, chlorate, perchlorate, bromate or EDTA salts of the magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, zinc, copper, tin, silver, iron, chrome, aluminum or gallium.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the Brønsted acid solution used in step a2) comprises inorganic and/or organic acids.

9. The process according to claim 1 wherein a first and a second olefin monomer are used, wherein the first and second olefin monomer are different and wherein the amount of the first olefin monomer is from 20 to 80 mol % and the amount of second olefin monomer is from 80 to 20 mol %, based on the total molar amount of first and second olefin monomer.

10. The process according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the olefin monomers is propylene used in an amount of at least 50 wt. %, with respect to the total weight of the olefin monomers and the functionalized olefin monomers.

11. The process according to claim 1 wherein said at least one olefin monomer is propylene and wherein polypropylene segments of the amorphous polyolefinic ionomer are atactic polypropylene segments.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one olefin monomer is propylene and/or 1-hexene.

13. The process according to claim 1 wherein the at least one functionalized olefin monomer is 3-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-2-ol, 10-undecene-1-ol, 4-pentenoic acid, or 10-undecenoic acid.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of the functionalized olefin monomers in step a1) is from 0.02 to 20 mol %, with respect to the total molar amount of the olefin monomers and the functionalized olefin monomers.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the ammonium salts is a fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, hydroxide, nitrite, nitrate, formate, acetate, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfite, sulfate, chlorate, perchlorate or bromate salt of NH 4 + , Et 3 NH + , or Bu 4 N + .

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polyfunctional amine is selected from ethylene diamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl ethylene diamine, 1,3-diaminopropane, hexamethylenediamine, piperazine, diethylene triamine, N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyl diethylene triamine, or polyethylenimine.

17. Amorphous polyolefinic ionomer obtained by the process of claim 1 .

18. Amorphous polyolefinic ionomer of claim 17 wherein,

said at least one olefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of propylene, 1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, vinyl cyclohexane and 1-octene,

said at least one functionalized olefin monomer is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, 3-buten-1-ol, 3-buten-2-ol, 3-butene-1,2-diol, 5-hexen-1-ol, 5-hexene-1,2-diol, 7-octen-1-ol, 7-octene-1,2-diol, 9-decen-1-ol, 10-undecen-1-ol, 5-norbornene-2-methanol, 3-butenoic acid, 4-pentenoic acid or 10-undecenoic acid,

wherein the functionalized groups in the ionomer are cross-linked by means of one or more from the group consisting of monovalent metal ions, monocationic ammonium ions, monofunctional amines, multi-valent metal ions, polycationic ammonium ions and polyfunctional amines.

19. Amorphous polyolefinic ionomer according to claim 17 , comprising between 0.1 and 10 molar equivalent, of a metal salt, an ammonium salt or an amine with respect to the mol % of functionalized olefin monomers incorporated in the copolymer.

20. Amorphous polyolefinic ionomer according to claim 17 wherein the amount of propylene in the amorphous polyolefinic ionomer is at least 50 wt %, with respect to the total of the olefin monomers and the functionalized olefin monomers in the copolymer and wherein polypropylene segments in the amorphous polyolefinic ionomer are atactic polypropylene segments.