A chromium ethylidene complex as a potent catalyst for selective ethylene trimerization

Abstract

Going one, twice... Reaction of the mononuclear complex [{η5-(tBu)2C4H2N}CrCl 2(thf)] with AlEt3 afforded the dinuclear species [{[η5-(tBu)2C4H2N]CrEt} 2(μ-Cl)2] (see picture; Cr purple, Cl green, C sticks/gray, H white). The complex acts a single-component selective trimerization catalyst; a higher loading of AlEt3 activator afforded isomerization of 1-hexene to cis, trans 2-hexene. (Chemical Equation Presented) © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.