Experimental evidence for large ring metallacycle intermediates in polyethylene chain growth using homogeneous chromium catalysts

Abstract

Deuterio-ethylene labeling studies on two homogeneous chromium ethylene oligomerization catalysts show that chain propagation proceeds via metallacyclic intermediates; reactions performed in the presence of 1-nonene show no incorporation of the higher olefin, strongly implicating the involvement of large ring metallacycles. Copyright © 2005 American Chemical Society.