Di-µ-carbonyl-tris(cyclopentadienylnickel) as a cluster precursor to a highly active ethylene oligomerization catalyst

Abstract

The first example of the use of a cyclopentadienylnickel cluster to effect catalytic oligomerization of an olefin is reported; when a benzene solution of di-µ-carbonyl-tris(cyclopentadienylnickel) is allowed to react with silica–alumina and subsequently heated to 150 °C, a highly active catalyst is formed which oligomerizes ethylene to higher olefins with turnover frequencies greater than 10⁵ mol ethylene per mol (η⁵-C₅H₅)₃Ni₃(CO)₂ per h.