Catalytic oligomerization of ethylene over Ni-containing dealuminated Y zeolites

Ni-containing dealuminated Y zeolites with different Si/Al ratios were prepared, characterized and tested in the ethylene oligomerization reaction, performed in slurry semi-batch mode, under very mild conditions. A favourable influence of both pore accessibility and mild acidity of NiY materials on their catalytic properties was observed. With these catalysts, high activities (16–30 g of oligomers/gcat h) were obtained in the temperature range of 30–70 °C. The reaction was also highly selective, resulting almost exclusively in olefins with an even number of C4–C12 carbon atoms.