Impact of Al Activators on Structure and Catalytic Performance of Cr Catalysts in Homogeneous Ethylene Oligomerization : A Multitechnique in situ/operando Study

Abstract

The effect of different AlR3 activators (R=methyl, ethyl, isobutyl, n-octyl) has been studied in comparison to modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) by operando EPR as well as by in situ UV-vis, ATR-IR and XANES/EXAFS spectroscopy during oligomerization of ethylene at 20 bar and 40 °C with a homogeneous Cr complex catalyst formed in situ upon mixing a Cr(acac)3 precursor, a Ph2PN(iPr)PPh2 ligand (PNP) and the activator. Coordination of PNP to Cr(acac)3 is initiated only in the presence of an activator. Highest 1-octene productivity (detected during operando EPR measurements) was obtained with MMAO which promotes bidentate coordination of the ligand to form an active (PNP)CrII(CH3)2 chelate complex. Rising bulkiness of R in AlR3 leads to only monodentate coordination of PNP to the Cr center by one P atom and increasing reduction to CrI to a maximum extend of around 30 % for AlOct3. This lowers the catalytic performance, which is mainly governed by the mode of PNP coordination rather than by the CrI content. ©2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.