Synthesis and reactivity in ethylene oligomerization by heteroscorpionate dibromonickel(II) complexes

Novel heteroscorpionate ligands were synthesized by a Peterson rearrangement during the reaction of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (or 2-quinolinecarboxaldehyde) and 1,1-carbonyl-bis(pyrazoles). Nickel(II) dibromide reacts with these ligands in THF to give the heteroscorpionate dibromo complexes of general formula LNiBr2. Crystal structures of two full-sandwich heteroscorpionate Ni(II) complexes were determined. Preliminary studies of catalytic activity in ethylene oligomerization using different organoaluminum cocatalysts were performed. The addition of one equivalent of triphenylphosphine resulted in increased catalytic activity for most examples. The catalyst system of (2-[bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methyl]pyridine nickel(II) dibromide/Et2AlCl/PPh3 dimerized ethylene with an activity of 650 g oligomer mol−1 Ni h−1 while the share of 1-butene in the mixture has reached 75%. Tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methyl nickel(II) dibromide, activated by Et2AlCl/PPh3 produced isobutylene (75% of the butene fraction). © 201