Reactions of mono-olefins in the presence of alkali metals. The effect of lithium and Group 2A metals

Abstract

Co-dimerisation of ethylene with propene and pentenes has been studied with a variety of alkali metal catalysts comprising dispersions of lithium hydride, and sodium and potassium metals on carbonates of metals of Groups 1A and 2A. Catalysts containing lithium and Group 2A metals showed an unexpectedly high selectivity for formation of linear heptenes and nonenes in comparison with catalysts containing only sodium and higher Group 1A metals. The difference in selectivity is explained by the nature of the bonding between the metals and anion intermediates