Catalytic trimerization of olefinic monomers

摘要

A catalyst composition suitable for the trimerization of olefinic monomers, wherein the catalyst composition comprises: a) a source of chromium, molybdenum or tungsten; b) a ligand of general formula (I); (R¹)(R²)P-X-P(R³)(R⁴) (I) wherein: X is a bivalent organic bridging group; R¹ and R³ are independently selected from, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl and substituted heterohydrocarbyl groups, with the proviso that when R¹ and R³ are cycloaromatic groups they do not contain a polar substituent at any of the ortho-positions; R² and R⁴ are independently selected from optionally substituted cycloaromatic groups, each R² and R⁴ bearing a polar substituent on at least one of the ortho-positions; and c) a cocatalyst. The present invention further relates to a process for the trimerization of olefinic monomers, particularly the trimerization of ethylene to 1-hexene, wherein the process comprises contacting at least one olefinic monomer with the catalyst composition described hereinabove.