Effect of metal on the ethylene polymerization behavior of a diimine-based homogeneous late transition metal catalyst system

Abstract

The cobalt(II) complex (1) of the didentate nitrogen ligand N,N′-1,2-ethanediylidenebis[2,6-bis(1-methylethyl)phenylamine] (L) was synthesized and tested in ethylene polymerization. The solid state structures of 1 and L were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. After activation with methyl-aluminoxane complex 1 produced mainly branched oligomers with clearly lower activity than observed for the corresponding nickel compound (2).