NMR and EPR trapping of the active species in the ethylene polymerization and trimerization catalyst systems

Abstract In this work, previously undetected intermediates of several practically promising catalyst systems for ethylene polymerization and trimerization are discussed. In particular, the activation of ethylene polymerization catalysts (1) LNiCl2 (L = 2,4,6-trimethyl- (N-5,6,7-trihydroquinolin-8-ylidene)phenylamine) with AlEt2Cl and AlMe2Cl, (2) activation of bis(imino)pyridine vanadium(III) chloride L1VIIICl3 (L1 = 2,6-(ArN=CMe)2C5H3N, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3; 2,6-Me2C6H3; 2,4,6-Me3C6H2; 3,5- F2C6H3) with AlMe3/[Ph3C]+[B(C6F5)]4¯ and MAO, and (3) selective ethylene trimerization catalyst (FI)TiCl3 (FI = phenoxyimine ligand with an additional aryl-OCH3 donor) with MAO have been assessed by NMR and EPR spectroscopy. The nature of ion-pair intermediates – the closest precursors of the propagating species – has been established, and the major catalyst deactivation pathways are discussed.