received by the International Bureau on 5 April 2019 (05.04.2019)

40

CLAIMS

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

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

X is selected from the group consisting of -OR or -NR ₂; wherein each R is

independently a (Ci-C5o)hydrocarbyl, (Ci-C5o)heterohydrocarbyl, or -H and at least one R is (Ci-C5o)hydrocarbyl, (Ci-C5o)heterohydrocarbyl, and, when X is -NR ₂, optionally two R are covalently linked;

the metal-ligand complex is overall charge-neutral;

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- (R^C)₂C=N-, 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): 41

H, (Ci-C₄o)hydrocarbyl, (Ci-C₄o)heterohydrocarbyl, -Si(R )₃, -Ge(R^c)₃, -P(R^p)₂, -N(Rⁿ)₂, -N=CHR^c, -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(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(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.

2. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein R is chosen from (C5-Cso)alkyl or -H.

3. The procatalyst according to claims 1 or 2, wherein R is linear.

4. The procatalyst according to claims 1 or 2, wherein R is branched.

5. The procatalyst according to claims 1 or 2, wherein X is chosen from a linear alkyl having the formula -OC_xH_x+i or -NHC_xH_x+i, where x is an integer from 10 to 40.

6. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein:

M is zirconium or hafnium;

each X is -OC₂₂H₄₅; and

each Z is oxygen.

7. The procatalyst according to any one of claims 1 - 3,

M is zirconium or hafnium;

each X is -OCi₈H₃₇; and

each Z is oxygen.

8. The procatalyst according to claim 1,

M is zirconium or hafnium;

each X is -N(C_I8H₃₇)R^x; and

each Z is oxygen.

9. The procatalyst according to claim 1, wherein

M is zirconium or hafnium;

at least one X is -N(C22H₄5)2; and

each Z is oxygen.

10. The procatalyst according to any one of claims 1 to 10, 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)