Olefin Polymerization Catalyst Comprising Magnesium, Titanium, an Epoxy Compound and an Internal Electron Donor, Such as a 1,2-Phenylene Dibenzoate-Based Compound

1 . A process of preparing a solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization, the process comprising:

forming a magnesium solution by a reaction of a halide-containing magnesium compound with an epoxy compound in a hydrocarbon solvent;

adding at least one non-phthalate internal donor to the magnesium solution to form a first mixture;

treating the first mixture with a first titanium compound to form a solid precipitate; and

separating the solid precipitate from the first mixture to form the solid catalyst component.

2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the treating further comprises treating the solid precipitate with a second titanium compound to form the solid catalyst component.

3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the treating further comprises treating the solid precipitate with a second titanium compound and a second internal electron donor to form the solid catalyst component.

4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the magnesium solution further comprises an organosilicon compound.

5 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the organosilicon compound is represented as R n Si(OR′) 4-n , wherein R is alkyl, or aryl; R′ is alkyl or aryl.

6 . The process of claim 4 , wherein the organosilicon is a polysiloxane.

7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the magnesium solution further comprises a halogenating agent containing at least one halogen atom capable of transfer to the magnesium.

8 . The process of claim 7 , wherein the halogenating agent is an aryloyl chloride, a alkanoyl chloride, an alkyl chloride, HCl, TiCl 4 , R n TiCl 4-n , CCl 4 , R n SiCl 4-n , and R n A1C1 3-n , wherein R represents alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or alkoxy, and n is a whole number satisfying the formula 0<n<4 and a ratio of the halogenating agent to the magnesium compound is at least 1:1 on a mol basis.

9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the magnesium solution further comprises an organic phosphorus compound.

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the magnesium solution further comprises an organosilicon compound, a polyacrylate, an organic phosphorus compound, or a mixture of any two or more thereof.

11 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the first and second (if present) titanium compound is represented by:

Ti(OR) g X 4-g ;

wherein:

each R is independently a C 1 -C 20 alkyl, a C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 6 -C 30 aryl;

X is Br, Cl, or I; and

g is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the solid catalyst component exhibits an average particle size of about 3 microns to about 100 microns (on a 50% by volume basis).

13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the internal electron donor is represented as:

wherein:

each of R 15 through R 20 are independently H, a heteroatom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroarylalkyl; and

q is an integer from 0 to 12.

14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the internal electron donor is represented by one of the following formulae:

wherein:

R 40 -R 43 are each independently selected from H, a heteroatom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkylaryl, or an —OR 44 ; where R 44 is C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, C 6 -C 20 aralkyl, or C 6 -C 20 alkylaryl;

R 36 and R 37 are each independently selected from F, Cl, Br, I, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkylaryl, —OR 45 , or —NR 2 46 ;

R 45 is C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, or alkylaryl;

X 1 and X 2 are each O, S, or NR 47 ; and

R 47 is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 6 -C 20 aryl, C 6 -C 20 aralkyl; or

wherein: R 38 , R 39 , R 40 , R 41 , R 42 , and R 43 are each independently H, a heteroatom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroarylalkyl; or

wherein: each of R 50 through R 57 are each independently H, a heteroatom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heterocyclic alkyl or aryl, heteroaryl, or heteroarylalkyl.

15 . A solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization, the solid catalyst component comprising a halide-containing magnesium, a titanium compound, and an internal electron donor;

wherein:

the solid catalyst component is prepared from a homogenous reaction mixture containing the halide-containing magnesium, an epoxy compound, and the internal electron donor, wherein a titanium halide is added to the mixture to form the solid catalyst component;

the halide-containing magnesium is represented by:

Mg(OR′) x X′ 2-x ;

each R′ is independently a C 1 -C 20 alkyl optionally substituted with a halogen, or a C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl alkyl optionally substituted with a halogen;

X′ is Br, Cl, or I;

x is 0, 1 or 2;

the internal electron donor is a non-phthalate internal electron donor;

the internal electron donor is present from about 3 wt % to about 25 wt % based upon the total solids weight of the solid catalyst component;

the titanium compound is represented by:

Ti(OR) g X 4-g ;

each R is independently a C 1 -C 20 alkyl, a C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or a C 6 -C 30 aryl;

X is Br, Cl, or I;

g is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;

the titanium is present from 1 wt % to about 6 wt % based upon the total solids weight of the solid catalyst component; and

the solid catalyst component has a particle size from about 3 microns to about 100 microns (on a 50% by volume basis).

16 . A catalyst system for use in olefinic polymerization, the catalyst system comprising the solid catalyst component produced by the process of claim 1 , an organoaluminum compound, and optionally, an organosilicon compound and/or organic external donor compound comprising an oxygen or a nitrogen atom.

17 . The catalyst system of claim 16 , wherein the organoaluminum compound is an alkyl-aluminum compound.

18 . The catalyst system of claim 17 , wherein the alkyl-aluminum compound is a trialkyl aluminum compound.

19 . The catalyst system of claim 18 , wherein the trialkyl aluminum compound comprises triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, or tri-n-octylaluminum.

20 . A process for polymerizing or copolymerizing an olefinic monomer, the process comprising contacting an olefinic monomer with the catalyst system of claim 16 to form a polyolefin polymer.