Azaborolyl group 4 metal complexes, catalysts and olefin polymerization process

1. A metal complex corresponding to the formula, CpM(X) x (L) t (X′) x′ (I), where Cp is a 1,2-azaborolyl anionic ligand, corresponding to the formula:

wherein,

R A , independently each occurrence, is a group of from 1 to 40 atoms, not counting hydrogen, selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbyl, trihydrocarbylsilylhydrocarbyl, dihydrocarbylamino, and hydrocarbyleneamino, and optionally two R A groups may be joined together thereby forming a fused multi-ring ligand group;

R B , independently each occurrence, is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, Z′Y and R A , with the proviso that one R B is Z′Y, said Cp also being bound to M;

M is a metal selected from Groups 3–10 or the Lanthanide series of the Periodic Table of the Elements;

Z′Y is

a divalent moiety with Z′ bonded to Cp and Y covalently or coordinate covalently bonded to M, wherein,

Z′ is SiR 6 2 , CR 6 2 , SiR 6 2 SiR 6 2 , CR 6 2 CR 6 2 , CR 6 ═CR 6 , CR 6 2 SiR 6 2 , BR 6 , BR 6 L″, or GeR 6 2 ;

Y is —O—, —S—, —NR 5 —, —PR 5 —; —NR 5 2 , or —PR 5 2 ;

R 5 , independently each occurrence, is hydrocarbyl, trihydrocarbylsilyl, or trihydrocarbylsilylhydrocarbyl, said R 5 having up to 20 atoms other than hydrogen, and optionally two R 5 groups or R 5 together with Y form a ring system;

R 6 , independently each occurrence, is hydrogen, or a member selected from hydrocarbyl, hydrocarbyloxy, silyl, halogenated alkyl, halogenated aryl, —NR 5 2 , and combinations thereof, said R 6 having up to 20 non-hydrogen atoms, and optionally, two R 6 groups form a ring system;

L″ is a monodentate or polydentate Lewis base optionally bonded to R 6 ;

X is hydrogen or a monovalent anionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms not counting hydrogen;

L independently each occurrence is a neutral ligating compound having up to 20 atoms, other than hydrogen, and optionally L and X are bonded together;

X′ is a divalent anionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms other than hydrogen;

x is 0, 1, 2, or 3;

t is a number from 0 to 2, and

x′ is 0 or 1.

2. A metal complex according to claim 1 wherein two R A groups are joined together thereby forming a fused multi-ring ligand group.

3. A metal complex according to claim 1 , corresponding to the formula:

where M is a Group 4 metal that is in the +2, +3 or +4 formal oxidation state;

R A independently each occurrence is a hydrocarbyl, dihydrocarbylamino, or hydrocarbyleneamino group of from 1 to 40 atoms, not counting hydrogen, or two or more R A groups may be covalently linked together;

R B independently each occurrence is hydrogen or R A ;

Z′ is SiR 6 2 , CR 6 2 , SiR 6 2 SiR 6 2 , CR 6 2 CR 6 2 , CR 6 ═CR 6 , or BR 6 ;

Y is —NR 5 —, —PR 5 —; —NR 5 2 , or —PR 5 2 ;

R 5 , independently each occurrence, is C 1-20 hydrocarbyl;

R 6 , independently each occurrence, is hydrogen, or C 1-20 hydrocarbyl;

X is an anionic or dianionic ligand group having up to 60 atoms exclusive of the class of ligands that are cyclic, delocalized, π-bound ligand groups;

X′ independently each occurrence is a neutral ligand having up to 40 atoms;

p is zero, 1 or 2, and is two less than the formal oxidation state of M when X is an anionic ligand, and when X is a dianionic ligand group, p is 1; and

q is zero, 1 or 2.

4. A metal complex according to claim 3 wherein:

X is halo, C 1-10 hydrocarbyl or trialkylsilylalkyl of up to 20 carbons, or two such X groups together form a divalent ligand group;

R A independently each occurrence is hydrocarbyl or two adjacent R A groups are joined together forming a fused ring;

R B is C 1-10 hydrocarbyl;

Y is —NR E — where R E is C 1-6 alkyl or cycloalkyl; and

Z′ is SiR 6 2 where R 6 is methyl, phenyl, or C 1-10 alkylphenyl.

5. A metal complex according to claim 1 wherein X is chloro, methyl, benzyl, trimethylsilylmethyl, or two X groups together are (dimethylsilylene)bis(methylene).

6. A metal complex according to claim 3 wherein M is titanium.

7. A catalyst composition comprising (A) the metal complex of any one of claims 1 - 5 or 6 and (B) an activating cocatalyst, or a reaction product thereof, wherein the molar ratio of (A) to (B) is from 1:10,000 to 100:1.

8. A process for polymerizing one or more addition polymerizable monomers, comprising contacting said monomer or a mixture of such monomers under polymerization conditions with a catalyst composition according to claim 7 .