Propylene bulk phase oligomerization with bisiminepyridine iron complexes in a calorimeter: mechanistic investigation of 1,2 versus 2,1 propylene insertion

Iron(II) complexes were synthesized with bisiminepyridine ligands of low steric demand. Activation with modified-methylaluminoxane (25 mol.% isobutyl groups) generated very active catalysts for propylene oligomerization. The oligomerizations were carried out in liquid propylene in a heat flow calorimeter. The oligomers were separated by preparative gas chromatography and the dimers and trimers analyzed using analytical gas chromatography, 1H-NMR- and 13C-NMR-spectroscopy. With knowledge of the dimer and trimer structure, we were able to establish a mechanistic pathway for propylene insertion and obtained knowledge about the iron alkyl species involved. Analysis of the various dimers formed allowed us to determine the percentage of 1,2 versus 2,1 propylene insertions. Considering the same iron alkyl species with ligands of different steric demand, a change in the probabilities for 1,2 versus 2,1 propylene insertions can be observed. With this knowledge, the catalyst behavior for ligands of varying steric demand can be predicted.