Catalyst composition for oligomerization reaction
The disclosure provides a catalyst reaction mixture including a ligand having a backbone with at least one phosphorus atom and at least one nitrogen atom, a chromium compound, and a solvent mixture including decalin and at least one additional solvent, wherein the solvent mixture comprises decalin in an amount of less than 20 wt. % and, optionally, perhydroindane in an amount of 50 wt. % or less, based on the total weight of the solvent mixture. A method of forming a linear alpha olefin through ethylene oligomerization is also provided, the method including contacting ethylene gas with a reaction mixture in a reactor, the reaction mixture including the catalyst reaction mixture of the disclosure; and withdrawing a product stream including at least one linear alpha olefin, such as 1-butene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene, from the reactor.
1 . A catalyst reaction mixture comprising a ligand having a backbone with at least one phosphorus atom and at least one nitrogen atom, wherein the ligand has the structure (R 1 )(R 2 )N—P(R 3 )—N(R 4 )—P(R 5 )—N(R 6 )(R 7 ), wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are each independently hydrogen, optionally substituted amino, trialkylsilyl, or optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 hydrocarbyl, a chromium compound, and a solvent mixture comprising decalin and at least one additional solvent, wherein the solvent mixture comprises decalin in an amount of about 5 to 20 wt. % and contains perhydroindane in an amount of 50 wt. % or less, based on the total weight of the solvent mixture.
2 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , wherein the decalin is present in an amount of about 5 to about 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the solvent mixture.
3 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional solvent is selected from the group consisting of saturated or unsaturated linear or branched hydrocarbons, ethers, aromatic hydrocarbons which can be unsubstituted or substituted with halogens, halogenated alkanes, and combinations thereof.
4 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , wherein the ligand has the structure:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently cyclohexyl or phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more C1-C10 alkyl, and R 3 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl.
5 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , wherein the chromium compound is an organometallic complex of Cr(III).
6 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , further comprising a co-catalyst comprising an aluminum compound.
7 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 6 , wherein the aluminum compound is trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, diethylaluminum chloride, ethylaluminum sesquichloride, ethylaluminum dichloride, methylaluminoxane, modified methylaluminoxane, or a combination thereof.
8 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , further comprising ethylene and at least one linear alpha olefin.
9 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional solvent is selected from the group consisting of toluene, benzene, xylene, monochlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, chlorotoluene, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, dichloroethane, dichlorobutane, and combinations thereof.
10 . The catalyst reaction mixture of claim 1 , wherein R 4 is C1-C4 alkyl, R 3 and R 5 are each independently selected C 6 -C 20 aryl or C 3 -C 7 aliphatic groups, and R 1 , R 2 , R 6 , and R 7 are each independently selected C 1 -C 10 alkyl.
11 . A method of forming a linear alpha olefin through ethylene oligomerization comprising:
i) contacting ethylene gas with the reaction mixture of claim 1 in a reactor; and
ii) withdrawing a product stream comprising at least one linear alpha olefin from the reactor.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the decalin is present in an amount of about 5 to about 15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the solvent mixture.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one additional solvent is selected from the group consisting of saturated or unsaturated linear or branched hydrocarbons, ethers, aromatic hydrocarbons which can be unsubstituted or substituted with halogens, halogenated alkanes, and combinations thereof.
14 . The method of claim 11 wherein R 4 is C1-C4 alkyl, R 3 and R 5 are each independently selected C 6 -C 20 aryl or C3-C7 aliphatic groups, and R 1 , R 2 , R 6 , and R 7 are each independently selected C 1 -C 10 alkyl.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the ligand has the structure:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently cyclohexyl or phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more C1-C10 alkyl, and R 3 is C1-C4 alkyl.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the chromium compound is an organometallic complex of Cr(III).
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising a co-catalyst comprising an aluminum compound.
18 . The method of 11 , wherein the product stream comprises a polymer content of about 0.9 wt. % or less, based on the total weight of the product stream.