Butene-1 copolymers and process for their preparation

Abstract

The present invention relates to butene-1 copolymers containing up to 40% by mol of ethylene and/or propylene derived units characterized by the following properties: d) Product of the reactivity ratios r1·r2≦2; e) Content of butene-1 units in form of isotactic pentads (mmmm)>98%; and f) absence of 4,1 insertions of butene units.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 24  in which the content of (mmmm) is >99% in correspondence of r1·r2≦1. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 24  having a PI in the range 3-10. 
     
     
         5 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 24  having a content of the at least one comonomer ranging from 0.1 to 35% by mol. 
     
     
         6 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 5  having a content of the at least one comonomer ranging from 0.5 to 30% by mol. 
     
     
         7 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one comonomer is ethylene. 
     
     
         8 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one comonomer is propylene. 
     
     
         9 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 6  having a content of wherein the content of the at least one comonomer is lower than about 3%. 
     
     
         10 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 6  wherein the content of the at least one comonomer is in the range of 2-15%. 
     
     
         11 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 6  wherein the content of the at least one comonomer is at least 12%. 
     
     
         12 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 11  wherein the at least one comonomer is ethylene. 
     
     
         13 . The butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 11  wherein the butene-1 copolymers do not show a melting point at the thermal analysis. 
     
     
         14 . A polymer composition comprising (A) from 1 to 99 wt % of a butene-1 copolymer according to  claim 24  and (B) from 1 to 99% of another polymeric component the said percentages being referred to the sum of (A) and (B). 
     
     
         15 . The polymer composition according to  claim 14  wherein component (B) comprises an olefin (co)polymer. 
     
     
         16 . The polymer composition according to  claim 14  in which the component (B) is an ethylene containing (co)polymer, a propylene containing (co)polymer or their-mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A polymer composition comprising:
 (A) from 5 to 40% wt of the butene-1 copolymers according to  claim 24  having from 1 to 15% by mol of ethylene or propylene; and   (B) from 60 to 95% wt of a propylene copolymer containing from 1 to 30% by mol of ethylene and/or an α-olefin of formula CH 2 ═CHR, where R is a C2-C10 hydrocarbon group.   
     
     
         18 . The polymer composition according to  claim 17  wherein said α-olefin is butene-1. 
     
     
         19 . The polymer composition according to  claim 18  in which the component (B) is selected from either (a) a propylene copolymer containing both ethylene and butene-1 wherein the content of ethylene is from 1 to 10% and the content of butene-1 is from 1 to 10% or (b) a propylene copolymer containing from 2 to 15% by mol of butene-1. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . Butene-1 copolymers comprising a content from 0.1 to 40% by mole of at least one comonomer, the comonomer being selected from ethylene, propylene or mixtures thereof, the butene-1 copolymers further comprising:
 a) a product of the reactivity ratios r1·r2≦1.5;   b) a content of butene-1 units in form of isotactic pentads (mmm)>98.5%; and   c) an absence of 4,1 insertions of butene units,   the butene-1 copolymers being produced from a process comprising copolymerizing butene-1 and the at least one comonomer in the presence of a stereospecific catalyst comprising (A) a solid catalyst component comprising a Ti compound of formula Ti(OR) n-y X y , where n=4; X is halogen, and y is a number between 1 to n, and an electron-donor compound selected from phthalates, supported on MgCl 2 ; (B) an alkylaluminum compound and, (C) an external electron-donor compound of formula R a   5 R b   6 Si(OR 7 ) c , where a and b are integers from 0 to 2, c is an integer from 1 to 3 and the sum (a+b+c) is 4; R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 , are alkyl radicals with 1-18 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled)