A range of ZrIV and HfIV complexes of arene-substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands have been prepared and tested in ethylene oligomerisation. The complexes prepared were designed to be precatalysts to active species which have been predicted, through theoretical studies, to lead to selective ethylene trimerisation. While there is evidence for selective 1-hexene formation in the liquid fraction with two of the complexes, the major product in each case is polyethylene. Mechanistic studies reveal that trimerisation products most likely arise through a metallacycle mechanism, whereas there is evidence to suggest that polyethylene if formed via an alternate mechanism.
一系列含有
芳烃取代
环戊二烯配体的
锆(ZrIV)和
铪(HfIV)配合物已被制备并用于
乙烯聚合反应的测试。这些配合物的设计目的是作为活性物种的前催化剂,这些活性物种通过理论研究被预测能够实现选择性的
乙烯三聚反应。虽然在液相中有证据表明其中两个配合物选择性地形成了
1-己烯,但在每种情况下,主要产品都是聚
乙烯。机理研究表明,三聚产品很可能是通过
金属环机制生成的,而有证据表明聚
乙烯则是通过另一种机制形成的。