화학공학소재연구정보센터
Catalysis Today, Vol.303, 263-270, 2018
Development of new selective ethylene trimerization catalysts based on highly active ethylene polymerization catalysts
A family of phenoxy-imine-ether ligated Ti complexes for selective ethylene trimerization have been developed from highly active bis(phenoxy-imine) early transition metal ethylene polymerization catalysts. The Ti complexes, after activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO), selectively trimerized ethylene to produce 1-hexene with exceptionally high productivity under mild conditions (e.g., 1-hexene selectivity 93.3 wt%, productivity 31.9 kg of 1-hexene/mmol-Ti.h; ethylene pressure 0.8 MPa, 25 degrees C, 1 h). Substitutions on the phenoxy-imineether ligands have substantial effects on the catalytic properties of catalysts. DFT calculations gave relevant insights into the formation of a catalytically active Ti(II) species as well as that of 1-hexene from titana(IV) cycloheptane. This selective ethylene trimerization catalyst technology has already been commercialized at Mitsui Chemicals.