Dimerization of Ethylene Catalyzed by σ-Aryl Nickel Compound in the Presence of Trifluoro Boron Etherate

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
It was found that σ-aryl nickel(II) complex catalyzes the dimerization of ethylene rapidly and selectively when trifluoro boron etherate is added. The rate of dimerization increases in order Br<<mesityl<naphthyl<o-tolyl. The aryl ligands remain in the nickel complexes during the course of dimerization, since vinyl naphthalene, butenyl-naphthalene, etc., which are expected to be the reaction products of ethylene with the σ-aryl lingands, were not detected. The isotopic exchange between ethylene and deuteroethylene and the dimerization of deuteroethylene were studied to confirm the active species of this catalyst system. The isotopic exchange is faster than both the dimerization and isomerization of 1-butene formed. No increase in the atomic fraction of hydrogen of deuteroethylene was observed after treatment with the catalyst system. Thus it is concluded that the nickel hydride formed by the dissociative addition of ethylene is the active species of the catalyst system. The role of trifluoroboron etherate was also elucidated by a comparison of its effect on the rate of ethylene dimerization with that of sodium tetraphenyl borate.
Keywords

This publication has 12 references indexed in Scilit: