C. Bianchini, D. Gatteschi, G. Giambastiani
Jan 3, 2007
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0
Influential Citations
59
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Journal
Organometallics
Abstract
The position of the sulfur atom in the thienyl group of 6-(thienyl)-2-(imino)pyridine ligands strongly affects the catalytic activity of the corresponding tetrahedral high-spin dihalide CoII complexes in the oligomerization of ethylene to α-olefins upon activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO). Complexes with the sulfur atom in the 3-position of the thienyl ring catalyze the selective conversion of ethylene to 1-butene, while catalysts containing thien-2-yl groups give C4−C14 α-olefins. In situ EPR experiments showed the occurrence of a spin state changeover with the formation of low-spin CoII species upon activation of the catalyst precursors by MAO. DFT calculations suggest that only thien-2-yl rings allow for the coordination of the sulfur atom to the cobalt center in the MAO-activated systems.