Method for controlling the melting points and molecular weights of syndiotactic polyolefins using metallocene catalyst systems

This invention is for a method for varying the melting points and molecular weights of syndiotactic polyolefins by using metallocene catalysts with substituents on the aryl rings of a fluorene ligand in certain positions. Electron donating substituents, for example, dialkylamino, halogen, and alkoxy groups, when present on fluorene at C1, C2, C3 or C2 and C7 render the catalyst less active and decrease the polymer molecular weight. Electron donating substituents, such as alkyl, dialkylamino, halogen or alkoxy, at C4 not only increased the catalyst efficiency but also dramatically increased the polymer molecular weight. Bulky hydrocarbyl substituents, such as alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl groups, at C2 and C7 increase the melting point. Bulky substituents such as hydrocarbyl groups like alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkoxy and dialkylamino groups etc., at C4/C5 decrease the melting point. When multiple substituents are present on fluorene, their effects are additive.