Trapping the Short-Chain Odd Carbon Number Olefins Using
Nickel(II)-catalyzed Tandem Ethylene Oligomerization and Friedel-Crafts
Alkylation of Toluene
Abstract
Nickel(II) complexes with pyrazole-based ligands are widely employed in
catalysis of ethylene oligomerization and subsequent Friedel-Crafts
alkylation of toluene. We have prepared ten new nickel(II) dibromide
complexes with various substituted bis(azolyl)methanes. They have been
characterized using 1H NMR, IR, high resolution mass spectrometry and
elemental analysis. The structures of three complexes have been
unambiguously established using X-ray diffraction. It was found that
these complexes in the presence of Et2AlCl or Et3Al2Cl3 are active both
in ethylene oligomerization and Friedel-Crafts alkylation processes
(activity up to 3720 kgoligomer·mol[Ni]−1·h−1). The use of Et3Al2Cl3
results in the higher share of alkylated products (up to 60%).
Moreover, catalytic systems activated with Et3Al2Cl3 produced small
amounts of odd carbon number olefins (up to 0.8%). The Friedel-Crafts
alkylation was used as a trap for previously undetected short-chain odd
carbon number olefins (C3 and C5).