Additive for rendering inert acidic or halogen-containing compounds contained in olefin polymers

1. A process for producing olefin polymers, which comprises the steps of:

(a) polymerizing an olefin monomer in a polymerization zone in the presence of a catalyst comprising a transition metal compound to form an olefin polymer, and

(b) adding to and mixing with the olefin polymer at the end of or downstream from the polymerization zone an additive composition comprising a compound having a weight averaged molecular weight of at least 100 and containing a group R, a cation Y, an anionic group —C(R 1 ) 2 —X − bonded to group R, and optionally a group —C(R 1 ) 2 —X—H bonded to group R, wherein

R 1 each occurrence independently represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms,

X is an element selected from group 16 of the periodic table of elements,

R comprises one or more units of the general formula (—(CHR 1 ),—X—), wherein R 1 is as previously defined and —X— is an ether or thioether linkage between two carbon atoms, and t is an integer from 1 to 10, which units may be the same or different,

Y is selected from the group consisting of cations of metals selected from groups 1 and 2 of the Periodic Table of Elements and cations of the formula [R a 4 M] + , wherein M is an element of group 15 of the Periodic Table of Elements, and R a independently each occurrence is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group,

C is carbon, and

H is hydrogen,

the additive composition having a relative mole fraction, n, of cations Y and a relative mole fraction, m, of groups of the formula —C(R 1 ) 2 —X—H, wherein 0<n1, 0≦m<1, and n+m=1.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein (—(CHR 1 ) t —X—)is derived from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, or mixtures thereof.

3. The process according to claim 2 wherein in the units (—(CHR 1 ) t —X—) of the additive composition, t is 2, one R 1 is hydrogen and the other R 1 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, and X is oxygen.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein the additive composition employed in step (b) has a weight averaged molecular weight from 1000 to 2500.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the additive composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: H—X—C(R 1 ) 2 —R—C(R 1 ) 2 —X − Y, [H—X—C(R 1 ) 2 —R—C(R 1 ) 2 —X − ] 2 Y, and HR—C(R 1 ) 2 —X − Y, wherein X, R 1 , R and Y are as defined in claim 1 .

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the additive composition consists essentially of a compound selected from the group consisting of: H—X—C(R 1 ) 2 —R—C(R 1 ) 2 —X − Y, [H—X—C(R 1 ) 2 —R—C(R 1 ) 2 —X 31 ] 2 Y, and HR—C (R 1 ) 2 —X − Y, wherein X, R 1 , R and Y are as defined in claim 5 .

7. The process of claim 2 wherein the additive composition comprises a compound having at least 50 weight percent propylene oxy- or butylene oxy units capped with less than 50 weight percent of ethylene oxide derived units.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the additive composition comprises a compound having a weight averaged molecular weight of at least 500.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the additive composition is added to a polymer stream exiting a polymerization reactor and prior to separation of the polymer from unreacted monomer or solvent.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the additive composition is added to an olefin polymer stream in the form of a pure solid, in molten state, or dissolved or suspended in an inert hydrocarbon solvent.

11. An olefin polymer obtained by the process of any one of claims 1 - 4 and 5 - 10 .