AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 05 April 2019 (05.04.2019)

1. A procatalyst comprising a metal-ligand complex according to formula (I):

where:

M is a metal chosen from titanium, zirconium, or hafnium, the metal being in a formal oxidation state of +2, +3, or +4;

each X is selected from the group consisting of -(CH₂)SiR ₃, each R is

independently a (Ci-C₃o)hydrocarbyl or a (Ci-C₃o)heterohydrocarbyl, and at least one R is (C₂-C₃o)hydrocarbyl, and any two R or all three R are optionally covalently linked;

each Z is independently chosen from -0-, -S-, -N(Rⁿ)-, or -P(R^p)-;

R¹ and R¹⁶ are independently selected from the group consisting of -H,

(Ci-C4o)hydrocarbyl, (Ci-C4o)heterohydrocarbyl, -Si(R^c)₃, -Ge(R^c)₃, -P(R^p)₂, -N(Rⁿ)₂, -OR^c, -SR^c, -N0₂, -CN, -CF₃, R^CS(0)-, R^CS(0)₂- -N=C(R^c)₂, R^CC(0)0-, R^C0C(0)-, R^CC(0)N(R)-, (R^C)₂NC(0)-, halogen, radicals having formula (II), radicals having formula (III), and radicals having formula (IV): where each of R^{31 35}, R^{41 4S}, and R^{51 59} is independently chosen from - H, (Ci-C4o)hydrocarbyl, (Ci-C4o)heterohydrocarbyl, -Si(R )₃, -Ge(R^c)₃, -P(R^p)₂, -N(Rⁿ)₂, -OR^c, -SR^c, -N0₂, -CN, -CF₃, R^cS(0)-, R^CS(0)₂-, (R^C)₂C=N-, R^CC(0)0-, R^C0C(0)-,

R^CC(0)N(Rⁿ)-, (R^C)₂NC(0)-, or halogen,

provided that at least one of R¹ or R¹⁶ is a radical having formula (II), a radical having formula (III), or a radical having formula (IV);

each of R^{2 4}, R^5-8, R^9-12, and R^{13 15} _S independently selected from -H,

(Ci-C4o)hydrocarbyl, (Ci-C4o)heterohydrocarbyl, -Si(R^c)₃, -Ge(R^c)₃, -P(R^p)₂, -N(R^N)₂-OR^c, -SR^c, -N0₂, -CN, -CF₃, R^CS(0)-, R^CS(0)₂- (R^C)₂C=N-, R^CC(0)0-, R^C0C(0)-, R^CC(0)N(R)-, (R^C)₂NC(0)-, and halogen, ;

L is (C₂-C4o)hydrocarbylene or (C₂-C4o)heterohydrocarbylene; and

each R^c, R^p, and R^N in formula (I) is independently a (Ci-C₃o)hydrocarbyl,

(Ci-C₃o)heterohydrocarbyl, or -H,

wherein the metal-ligand complex according to formula (I) has a wt.% solubility ratio W/Y of at least 1.5, wherein W is the wt. % solubility of the metal-ligand complex of formula (I) in MCH at STP; wherein Y is the wt. % of a corresponding comparative metal-ligand complex of formula (la) in MCH at STP; and wherein the corresponding comparative complex has a structure according to formula (la):

in which M, each Z, each R^{1 16}, and L all are identical to corresponding groups of the metal-ligand complex according to formula (I).

2. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein:

M is zirconium or hafnium;

each X is -(CH₂)Si(CH₂CH₃)3; and

each Z is oxygen.

3. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein:

M is zirconium or hafnium;

each X is selected from the group consisting of -(CH₂) Si(CH₃)(n-Oct)R ; and each Z is oxygen

4. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein

M is zirconium or hafnium;

each X is -(CH₂)₂Si(CH₂CH₃)₃; and

each Z is oxygen. 39

5. The procatalyst according to claim 1,

M is zirconium or hafnium;

X is selected from the group consisting of -(CH₂) Si(n-Oct)R ₂; and

each Z is oxygen.

6. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein exactly two R are covalently linked or exactly three R are covalently linked.