Formation of a Butadienenickel-Based Zwitterionic Single-Component Catalyst for Ethylene Polymerization: An Alternative Activation Pathway for Homogeneous Ziegler-Natta Catalysts of Late Transition Metals

Abstract

Addition of B(C6F5)3 to the butadiene ligand in 1 leads to the zwitterionic complex 2 (characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction; Ar=2,6-diisopropylphenyl), which is an active catalyst for the polymerization of ethylene. The formation of 2 could have model character for an activation pathway for homogeneous Ziegler–Natta catalysts of late transition metals without σ-alkyl ligands.