Electrochemical synthesis of the σ-aryl complex [NiBr(Mes)(bpy)] and its use as catalyst precursor for the oligomerization of ethylene (Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine)

The oxidative addition of mesityl bromide either to electrochemically generated [Ni(bpy)] or to [Ni(COD)2] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) in the presence of 2,2′-bipyridine allows the selective, high-yield synthesis of the σ-aryl complex [NiBr(Mes)(bpy)] (Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine), which is an efficient catalyst precursor for the oligomerization of ethylene to even-numbered olefins in the C4–C26 range with a Schulz–Flory distribution.

Graphical abstractAn efficient catalyst precursor for the oligomerization of ethylene to even-numbered olefins in the C4–C26 range with a Schulz–Flory distribution – the organonickel σ-aryl complex [NiBr(Mes)(bpy)] (Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) – was prepared in high-yield by oxidative addition of mesityl bromide either to electrochemically generated [Ni(bpy)] or to [Ni(COD)2] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) in the presence of 2,2′-bipyridine.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide