Procatalyst Composition with Substituted Amide Ester Internal Electron Donor

• US 20120322962A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WR Grace & Company
• Original Assignee: WR Grace & Company
• Inventors: Chen, Linfeng, Leung, Tak W., Tao, Tao, Shu, James X., Huang, Xiaodong, Gao, Kunqiang
• Granted Patent: US 8,604,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 526/123.1
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 10/06 Propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 110/06 Propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2410/06 Catalyst characterized by its size
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/04 Broad molecular weight distribution, i.e. Mw/Mn > 6
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/12 Melt flow index or melt flow ratio
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/18 Bulk density
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/651 Pretreating with non-metals or metal-free compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/654 with magnesium or compounds thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are procatalyst compositions having an internal electron donor which includes a substituted amide ester and optionally an electron donor component. Ziegler-Natta catalyst compositions containing the present procatalyst compositions exhibit improved catalyst activity and/or improved catalyst selectivity and produce propylene-based olefins with broad molecular weight distribution.

Claims

1. A procatalyst composition comprising:

a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety and an internal electron donor comprising a substituted amide ester having the structure (II);

2. The procatalyst composition of claim 1 wherein at least two of R₁-R₆ are a hydrocarbyl group having at least 2 carbon atoms.

3. The procatalyst composition of claim 1 wherein each of R₁ and R₂ is a hydrocarbyl group with at least two carbon atoms.

4. The procatalyst composition of claim 1 wherein at least one of R₁₁-R₁₃ and at least one of R₂₁-R₂₃ is a hydrocarbyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms.

5. The procatalyst composition of claim 1 wherein each of R₁ and R₂ is are selected from the group consisting of an isopropyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a cyclopentyl group, and a cyclohexyl group.

6. The procatalyst composition of claim 1 wherein each of R₁, R₂, R₄, and R₆ is hydrogen and each of R₃ and R₅ is a methyl group.

9. The procatalyst composition of claim 1 comprising a mixed external electron donor comprising the substituted amide ester of structure (II) and an electron donor component.

10. A catalyst composition comprising:

a procatalyst composition of claim 1 or claim 7; and

a cocatalyst.

11. The catalyst composition of claim 10 comprising an external electron donor selected from the group consisting of a silicon compound, a bidentate compound, a diether, a diol ester, a carboxylate, an amine, a phosphite, and combinations thereof.

12. The catalyst composition of claim 10 comprising two or more alkoxysilane external electron donors.

13. The catalyst composition of claim 10 comprising an activity limiting agent selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid ester, a diether, a diol ester, and combinations thereof.

14. A process for producing an olefin-based polymer comprising:

contacting, under polymerization conditions, an olefin with a catalyst composition comprising a procatalyst composition of claim 1 or claim 7; and

forming an olefin-based polymer comprising a substituted amide ester.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the olefin is propylene, the process comprising forming a propylene-based polymer having a polydispersity index from about 5.0 to about 20.0.

7. A procatalyst composition comprising:

a combination of a magnesium moiety, a titanium moiety and an internal electron donor comprising a substituted amide ester having the structure (II);

8. The procatalyst composition of claim 7 wherein each of R₁ and R₂ is a methyl group and each of R₁₂ and R₂₂ is selected from the group consisting of ethyl, butyl, and phenyl.