Mechanistic Studies on Selective Trimerization of Linear α-Olefins over a Supported Titanium Catalyst

The supported titanium catalyst s(FI)Ti, generated by adding (FI)TiCl3 to MAO-treated SiO2 (FI = (N-(5-methyl-3-(1-adamantyl)salicylidene)-2’-(2”-methoxyphenyl)anilinato)], effects the selective trimerization of the linear α-olefins (LAOs) propene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-decene, with >95% selectivity for trimers and ~85% selectivity to a single isomer thereof (2,3,5-trialkyl-1-hexene). Mechanistic interpretations are offered for the high regioselectivity as well as for some unusual kinetics behavior, including third-order dependence on LAO concentration and nearly identical initial rates at 0 and 25 °C