Polymerization process using bridged metallocene compounds supported on organoaluminum treated layered silicate supports

1. A process to polymerize olefins comprising:

i) contacting one or more olefins with a catalyst system comprising: 1) optionally, an activator, 2) an organoaluminum treated layered silicate support, and 3) bridged metallocene compound represented by the formula:

wherein:

M is a group 4 metal;

T is a group 14 atom;

D is a hydrogen, halide, alkoxide or a C 1 to C 40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group;

R a and R b are independently, hydrogen, halogen, or a C 1 to C 20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, and R a and R b can form a cyclic structure including substituted or unsubstituted aromatic, partially saturated, or saturated cyclic or fused ring system;

each X 1 and X 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl groups, hydrides, amides, amines, alkoxides, sulfides, phosphides, halides, dienes, phosphines, and ethers; and X 1 and X 2 can form a cyclic structure including aromatic, partially saturated, or saturated cyclic or fused ring system;

each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 is, independently, hydrogen, halide, alkoxide or a C 1 to C 40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group, and any of adjacent R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and/or R 5 groups may form a fused ring or multicenter fused ring systems, where the rings may be substituted or unsubstituted, and may be aromatic, partially unsaturated, or unsaturated; and

each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 is, each independently, hydrogen or a C 1 to C 40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group;

ii) obtaining polyolefin having a g′(vis) of 0.90 or more and an MIR of 30 or less.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein M is zirconium or hafnium.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein D is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group at least two of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 are C 1 to C 40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl groups.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein D is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, naphthyl, biphenyl, cyclopropentyl, tropylium, cyclooctatetraenyl, furanyl, pyridinyl, borabenzyl, thiophenyl, azolyl, oxazolyl, and imidazolyl.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein T is silicon or germanium.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein each R a and R b is independently selected from the group consisting of halides, C 1 to C 20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl groups, and cyclic structures where R a and R b form a heterocyclopentyl, heterocyclobutyl, or heterocyclohexyl structure with T being the heteroatom.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein each X 1 and X 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of halides and C 1 to C 20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl groups.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 is, independently, hydrogen or a C 1 to C 20 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 is, independently, a C 1 to C 40 substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group.

10. The process of claim 8 , wherein R 6 and R 9 are the same.

11. The process of claim 8 , wherein R 7 and R 8 are the same.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 is, independently, selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, decyl, and undecyl groups.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein each of R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 is, independently, a methyl group, an ethyl group, or an n-propyl group.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein adjacent R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and/or R 9 groups fuse together with the cyclopentadienyl group to form a substituted or unsubstituted fluorene.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organoaluminum compound is represented by the formula:

AlR 3 or AlR* n Y 3-n

wherein each R is independently a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group and/or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, R* is a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of from 1 to 30, Y is hydrogen, halogen, an alkoxy group or a siloxy group, and n is 1, 2, or 3.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organoaluminum compound comprises trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, tri-n-hexylaluminum, tri-n-octylaluminum, tri-iso-octylaluminum, triphenylaluminum, or combinations thereof.

17. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organoaluminum compound comprises 0 to 20 wt % alkyl alumoxane, based upon the weight of the organoaluminum compounds on the support.

18. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organoaluminum compound comprises 0 wt % alkyl alumoxane.

19. The process of claim 1 , wherein the support is treated with triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, trimethylaluminum, tri-n-octylaluminum.

20. The process of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises montmorillonite, nontronite, beidellite, volkonskoite, laponite, hectorite, saponite, sauconite, stevensite, vermiculite, halloysite, aluminate oxides, bentonite, kaolinite, dickite, smectic clays, mica, magadiite, kenyaite, octosilicate, kanemite, makatite, attapulgite, sepiolite, zeolitic layered materials, and mixtures thereof.

21. The process of claim 1 , wherein the support is acidified by contacting with an acid prior to treatment with the organoaluminum compound.

22. The process of claim 1 , wherein the support is contacted with a Bronsted acid prior to treatment with the organoaluminum compound.

23. The process of claim 1 , wherein the support is montmorillonite.

24. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is an ethylene polymer.

25. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is an ethylene polymer having a bimodal composition distribution and a g′vis of 0.95 or more.

26. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin has a bimodal Mw/Mn, a bimodal composition distribution and a g′vis of 0.95 or more.

27. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymerization is conducted in the gas phase.

28. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymerization is conducted in the slurry phase.

29. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin has:

1) an Mw of 25,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol;

2) an Mw/Mn of from 1 to 10;

3) an MI of 0.1 dg/min or more;

4) a bimodal composition distribution; and

5) a g′(z ave) of 0.50 or more.

30. The process of claim 1 wherein the organoaluminum compound is present at from 0.01 to 1000 mmol per 1 g of support.