A chromium ethylidene complex as a potent catalyst for selective ethylene trimerization

Going one, twice… Reaction of the mononuclear complex [{¿5-(tBu)2C4H2N}CrCl2(thf)] with AlEt3 afforded the dinuclear species [{[¿5-(tBu)2C4H2N]CrEt}2(µ-Cl)2] (see picture; Cr purple, Cl green, C sticks/gray, H white). The complex acts a single-component selective trimerization catalyst; a higher loading of AlEt3 activator afforded isomerization of 1-hexene to cis, trans 2-hexen