Regioselective trimeric cyclization of propylene to substituted cyclopentanes catalyzed by zirconocene complexes Original Research Article

Oligomerization of propylene catalyzed by Cp2ZrCl2/ethylaluminoxane or/Et3Al at low Al/Zr ratios and high temperature regioselectively afforded trimeric carbocyclic products, 1,1,3-trimethylcyclopentane and 1,1,3,4-tetramethylcyclopentane, along with C6 and C9 chain olefins. The product distribution was affected by the reaction temperature, the pressure of propylene, the ratio of Al/Zr and the reaction time. The combined selectivity of two five-membered cyclic products attained 61% under the optimized condition. The pathway of regioselective cyclo-trimerization of propylene to substituted cyclopentanes is discussed.