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Supported metallocene catalysts and processes for the use of such catalysts in isotactic polymerization of a C3+ ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The supported catalysts comprise a particulate silica support, an alkyl alumoxane component, and a metallocene catalyst component. The support has an av

Supported metallocene catalysts and processes for the use of such catalysts in isotactic polymerization of a C3+ ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The supported catalysts comprise a particulate silica support, an alkyl alumoxane component, and a metallocene catalyst component. The support has an average particle size of 10-50 microns, a surface area of 200-800 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.9-2.1 milliliters per gram (ml/g). Alumoxane is incorporated onto the support to provide a weight ratio of alumoxane to silica of at least 0.8:1. The metallocene is present in an amount of at least 1 weight percent of the silica and the alumoxane and is of the formula B(CpRaRb)(Fl′)MQ2 in which Fl′ is an unsubstituted fluorenyl group or a fluorenyl group symmetrically substituted at the 3 and 6 positions, B is a structural bridge between Cp and Fl′, Ra is a bulky substituent in a distal position, Rb is a less bulky substituent proximal to the bridge and non-vicinal to the distal substituent, M is a Group IVB transition metal or vanadium, and Q is a halogen or a Cl-C4 alkyl group.

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1. A supported metallocene catalyst composition useful in the polymerization of olefins comprising:a. a particulate silica support having an average particle size within the range of 10-50 microns and a surface area within the range of 200-800 m2/g; b. an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component incorpor

1. A supported metallocene catalyst composition useful in the polymerization of olefins comprising:a. a particulate silica support having an average particle size within the range of 10-50 microns and a surface area within the range of 200-800 m2/g; b. an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component incorporated onto said silica support to provide a weight ratio of alkylalumoxane to silica of at least 0.8:1; c. a metallocene catalyst component supported on said particulate silica support in an amount of at least 1 weight percent of said silica and said alkylalumoxane and characterized by the formula: B(CpRaRb)(FlR′2)MQ2 wherein: Cp is a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, Fl is a substituted fluorenyl group, and B is a structural bridge between Cp and Fl imparting stereorigidity to said catalyst, Ra is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl group which is in a distal position to the bridge and comprises a bulky group of the formula XR*3 in which X is carbon or silicon and R* is the same or different and is chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms, provided that at least one R* is not hydrogen, Rb is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl ring which is proximal to the bridge and positioned non-vicinal to the distal substituent and is of the formula YR#3 in which Y is silicon or carbon and each R# is the same or different and chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and is less bulky than the substituent Ra, each R′ is the same or different and is a hydrocarbyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms with one R′ being substituted at a non-proximal position on the fluorenyl group and the other R′ being substituted at an opposed non-proximal position on the fluorenyl group, M is a Group IVB transition metal or vanadium; Q is a halogen or a C1-C4 alkyl group; andd. said alkylalumoxane component and said metallocene component being present in relative amounts to provide an Al/M mole ratio of at least 150. 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said alkyl aluminum component and said metallocene component are present in an amount to provide an Al/M mole ratio of at least 250.3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said metallocene is present on said silica support in an amount of at least 1.5 wt %.4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said alkylalumoxane is present in an amount to provide a weight ratio of alkylalumoxane to said silica of at least 1:1.5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the substituent Ra of said metallocene component is a phenyl or substituted phenyl group.6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the Ra substituent of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of C(CH3)3, C(CH3)2Ph, CPh3, and Si(CH3)3.7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the Rb substituent of said metallocene component is CH3.8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the substituent R′ is C(CH3)3.9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the bridge B of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of an alkylidene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a dialkyl germanium or silicon or siloxane, alkyl phosphine or amine.10. The composition of claim 9 wherein B is an isopropylidene or a diphenyl methylene group.11. The composition of claim 9 wherein M is zirconium or titanium.12. The composition of claim 10 wherein Q is independently a halogen or methyl group.13. A supported metallocene catalyst useful in the polymerization of olefins comprising:a. a particulate silica support having an average particle size within the range of 10-50 microns, a surface area within the range of 200-800 m2/g, and a pore volume within the range of 0.9-2.1 ml/g; b. an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component incorporated onto said silica support to provide a weight ratio of alkylalumoxane to silica within the range of 1:1-2:1; c. a metallocene catalyst component supported on said particulate silica support in an amount of at least 1 weight percent of said silica and said alkylalumoxane and characterized by the formula: wherein: Ra is a bulky hydrocarbyl group containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, Rb is a methyl, ethyl or isopropyl group, wherein the Rb is less bulky than the Ra; R′ is a bulky hydrocarbyl group containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, M is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, and vanadium, Q is a halogen or a C1-C4 hydrocarbyl group, B is a structural bridge extending between the cyclopentadienyl and fluorenyl groups, and is an ethylene group or is characterized by the formula: wherein b is a C1-C4 alkyl group or a phenyl group.14. The composition of claim 1 wherein the substituent Ra of the metallocene catalyst component is selected from the group consisting of a tertbutyl group, a phenyl group, and substituted phenyl group.15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the substituent Ra of the metallocene catalyst component is a phenyldimethyl methyl group, or a triphenylmethyl group.16. The composition of claim 14 wherein the substituent Ra of the metallocene catalyst component is a tertbutyl group and the substituent Rb is a methyl group.17. The composition of claim 13 wherein the substituent R′ of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of an isobutyl group, a tertiary butyl group, a phenyldimethyl methyl group, and a triphenylmethyl group.18. The composition of claim 13 wherein the bridge B of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of a dimethylsilyl group, a diphenylsilyl group, a diphenylmethylene group, and an isopropylidene group.19. The composition of claim 13 wherein M is zirconium or hafnium and Q is a chlorine or methyl group.20. The composition of claim 13 wherein said isospecific metallocene component comprises isopropylidene (3-tertiary butyl, 5-methyl cyclopentadienyl, 3,6-ditertiary butyl fluorenyl) zirconium dichloride or diphenyl methylene (3-tertiary butyl, 5-methyl cyclopentadienyl, 3,6-ditertiary butyl fluorenyl) zirconium dichloride.21. The composition of claim 13 wherein the substituent Ra of the metallocene catalyst component is a tertbutyl group, the substituent Rb is a methyl group, the substituent R′ is a tertbutyl group, the transition metal M is a zirconium or hafnium, Q is a chlorine or methyl group, and the bridge B is a dimethylsilyl group, an isopropylidene group or a diphenyl methylene group.22. A supported metallocene catalyst composition useful in the polymerization of olefins comprising:a. a particulate silica support of a spheroidal shape having an average particle size of about 21 microns, a pore volume of about 1.7 ml/g, and a surface area of about 600 m2/g; b. an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component incorporated onto said silica support to provide a weight ratio of alkylalumoxane to silica of at least 0.8:1; c. a metallocene catalyst component supported on said particulate silica support in an amount of at least 1 weight percent of said silica and said alkylalumoxane and characterized by the formula: B(CpRaRb)(Fl′)MQ2 wherein: Cp is a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, Fl′ is an unsubstituted fluorenyl group or a fluorenyl group which is symmetrically substituted at the 3 and 6 positions with C1-C4 hydrocarbyl groups, and B is a structural bridge between Cp and Fl′ imparting stereorigidity to said catalyst, Ra is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl group which is in a distal position to the bridge and comprises a bulky group of the formula XR*3 in which X is carbon or silicon and R* is the same or different and is chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms, provided that at least one R* is not hydrogen, Rb is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl ring which is proximal to the bridge and positioned non-vicinal to the distal substituent and is of the formula YR#3 in which Y is silicon or carbon and each R# is the same or different and chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and is less bulky than the substituent Ra, M is a Group IVB transition metal or vanadium; Q is a halogen or a C1-C4 alkyl group; andd. said alkylalumoxane component and said metallocene component being present in relative amounts to provide an Al/M mole ratio of at least 150. 23. The composition of claim 22 wherein the substituent Ra of said metallocene component is a phenyl group or a 2,6 substituted phenyl group having substituents selected from the groups consisting of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or trifluoromethyl groups.24. The composition of claim 22 wherein the Ra substituent of said metallocene component is a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group or is selected from the group consisting of C(CH3)3, C(CH3)2Ph, CPh3, and Si(CH3)3.25. The composition of claim 24 wherein the Rb substituent of said metallocene component is CH3.26. The composition of claim 25 wherein the substituent Ra is C(CH3)3.27. The composition of claim 26 wherein Fl′ is an unsubstituted fluorenyl group.28. The composition of claim 27 wherein B is an isopropylidene group.29. In a method for the isospecific propagation of a polymer chain derived from an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, comprising:a. providing a supported metallocene catalyst comprising an isospecific metallocene catalyst component of the formula: B(CpRaRb)(FlR′2)MQ2 wherein: Cp is a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, Fl is a substituted fluorenyl group, and B is a structural bridge between Cp and Fl imparting stereorigidity to said catalyst, Ra is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl group which is in a distal position to the bridge and comprises a bulky group of the formula XR*3 in which X is carbon or silicon and R* is the same or different and is chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms, provided that at least one Rb is not hydrogen, Rb is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl ring which is proximal to the bridge and positioned non-vicinal to the distal substituent and is of the formula YR#3 in which Y is silicon or carbon and each R# is the same or different and chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and is less bulky than the substituent Ra, each R′ is the same or different and is a hydrocarbyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms with one R′ being substituted at a non-proximal position on the fluorenyl group and the other R′ being substituted at an opposed non-proximal position on the fluorenyl group, M is a Group IVB transition metal or vanadium; an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component; a particulate silica support having an average particle size within the range of 10-50 microns and a surface area within the range of 200-800; and said metallocene catalyst component and said alumoxane cocatalyst component being supported on said particulate silica support in an amount to provide a weight ratio of said alumoxane to said silica support of at least 0.8 and a metallocene loading of at least 1 weight percent; contacting said catalyst in a polymerization reaction zone with an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or which is a substituted vinyl compound; andb. operating said reaction zone under a temperature within the range of 55-70° C. to provide isospecific polymerization of said monomer at an activity of at least 1000 g/g/hr to produce a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 155° C. 30. The method of claim 29 wherein said monomer is propylene, which is polymerized to produce isotactic polypropylene homopolymer.31. The method of claim 29 wherein said catalyst is contacted in said polymerization reaction zone with a mixture of propylene and ethylene to produce an isotactic ethylene propylene copolymer.32. The method of claim 31 wherein ethylene is supplied to said reaction zone in an amount to produce an isotactic ethylene propylene copolymer having an ethylene content of no more than 10 weight percent ethylene.33. The method of claim 29 wherein the substituent Ra of said metallocene component is a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group.34. The method of claim 29 wherein hydrogen is supplied to said reaction zone.35. The method of claim 34 wherein said hydrogen is provided to the reaction zone to provide a hydrogen content of at least 20 ppm based upon said monomer.36. The method of claim 29 further comprising the introduction of an alkylaluminum cocatalyst into said polymerization reaction zone in an amount to provide a ratio of aluminum to said transition metal within the range of 50-8000.37. The method of claim 36 wherein the Ra substituent of said metallocene component is a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group or is selected from the group consisting of C(CH3)3, C(CH3)2Ph, CPh3, and Si(CH3)3.38. The method of claim 37 wherein the Rb substituent of said metallocene component is CH3.39. The method of claim 36 wherein the bridge B of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of an alkylidene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a dialkyl germanium or silicon or siloxane, alkyl phosphine or amine.40. The method of claim 39 wherein B is an isopropylidene group.41. The method of claim 40 wherein M is zirconium or titanium.42. The method of claim 41 wherein Q is independently a halogen or methyl group.43. The method of claim 42 wherein said fluorenyl group is substituted with R′ at the 3 and 6 positions.44. In a method for the isospecific propagation of a polymer chain derived from an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, comprising:a. providing a supported metallocene catalyst comprising an isospecific metallocene catalyst component of the formula: B(CpRaRb)(Fl′)MQ2 wherein: Cp is a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, Fl′ is an unsubstituted fluorenyl group or a fluorenyl group which is symmetrically substituted at the 3 and 6 positions with C1-C4 alkyl groups, phenyl groups or 2,6 substituted phenyl groups, and B is a structural bridge between Cp and Fl′ imparting stereorigidity to said catalyst, Ra is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl group which is in a distal position to the bridge and comprises a bulky group of the formula XR*3 in which X is carbon or silicon and R* is the same or different and is chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group having from 1-20 carbon atoms, provided that at least one R* is not hydrogen, Rb is a substituent on the cyclopentadienyl ring which is proximal to the bridge and positioned non-vicinal to the distal substituent and is of the formula YR#3 in which Y is silicon or carbon and each R# is the same or different and chosen from hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and is less bulky than the substituent Ra, M is a Group IVB transition metal or vanadium; Q is a halogen or a C1-C4 alkyl group; and(ii) an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component; (iii) a particulate silica support having an average particle size of about 21 microns, a pore volume of about 1.7 ml/g, and a surface area of about 600 m2/g; and (iv) said metallocene catalyst component and said alumoxane cocatalyst component being supported on said particulate silica support in an amount to provide a weight ratio of said alumoxane to said silica support of at least 0.8 and a metallocene loading of at least 1 weight percent. b. contacting said catalyst in a polymerization reaction zone with an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer which contains 3 or more carbon atoms or which is a substituted vinyl compound; and c. operating said reaction zone under a temperature within the range of 65-70° C. to provide isospecific polymerization of said monomer at an activity of at least 1000 g/hr. to produce a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 140° C. 45. The method of claim 44 further comprising the introduction of an alkylaluminum cocatalyst into said polymerization reaction zone in an amount to provide a ratio of aluminum to said transition metal within the range of 50-8000.46. The method of claim 44 wherein the Ra substituent of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of C(CH3)3, C(CH3)2Ph, CPh3, and Si(CH3)3.47. The method of claim 46 wherein the Rb substituent of said metallocene component is CH3.48. The method of claim 47 wherein the substituent Ra is C(CH3)3.49. The method of claim 48 wherein Fl′ is an unsubstituted fluorenyl group.50. The method of claim 49 wherein B is an isopropylidene group.51. In a method for the isospecific propagation of a polymer chain derived from an ethylenically-unsaturated monomer, comprising:a. providing a supported metallocene catalyst comprising an isospecific metallocene catalyst component of the formula: wherein: Ra is a bulky hydrocarbyl group containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, Rb is a methyl or ethyl group, R′ is a bulky hydrocarbyl group containing from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, M is a transition metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, and vanadium, Q is a halogen or a C1-C4 hydrocarbyl group, B is a structural bridge extending between the cyclopentadienyl and fluorenyl groups, and is an ethylene group or is characterized by the formula: wherein: b is a C1-C4 alkyl group or a phenyl group, an alkylalumoxane cocatalyst component; a particulate silica support having an average particle size within the range of 10-50 microns and a surface area within the range of 200-800; and said metallocene catalyst component and said alumoxane cocatalyst component being supported on said particulate silica support in an amount to provide a weight ratio of said alumoxane to said silica support of at least 0.8 and a metallocene loading of at least 1 weight percent;b. contacting said catalyst in a polymerization reaction zone with propylene; and C. operating said reaction zone under a temperature within the range of 60-70° C. to provide isospecific polymerization of said propylene at an activity of at least 1000 g/g/hr to produce a polymer having a melting point of at least 155° C. 52. The method of claim 51 wherein the substituent Ra of the metallocene catalyst component is selected from the group consisting of an isobutyl group, a tertiary butyl group, a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, a phenyldimethyl methyl group, and a triphenylmethyl group.53. The method of claim 51 wherein the substituent Ra of the metallocene catalyst component is an isobutyl group or a tertiary butyl and the substituent Rb is a methyl group.54. The method of claim 53 wherein the substituent R′ of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of an isobutyl group, a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, a phenyldimethyl methyl group, and a triphenylmethyl group.55. The method of claim 51 wherein the bridge B of said metallocene component is selected from the group consisting of a dimethylsilyl group, a diphenylsilyl group, a diphenylmethylene group, and an isopropylidene group.56. The method of claim 55 wherein M is zirconium or hafnium and Q is a chlorine or methyl group.57. The method of claim 51 wherein said isospecific metallocene component comprises isopropylidene (3-tertiary butyl, 5-methyl cyclopentadienyl) (3,6-ditertiary butyl fluorenyl) zirconium dichloride or diphenyl methylene (3-tertiary butyl, 5-methyl cyclopentadienyl) (3,6-ditertiary butyl fluorenyl) zirconium dichloride.