Tuning C6/C8 selectivity of Cr-catalyzed oligomerization of ethylene by exploiting confinement effects (B04*)

• Subject Area: Inorganic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation ; Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 358283783

In this funding period, we will transfer the concept of confinement-governed olefin-metathesis-based macrocyclization to confinement-governed oligomerization of small molecules. Here, the main aim is to exploit confinement effects to selectively produce trimeric or tetrameric products from ethylene, i.e., 1-hexene or 1-octene, respectively. To this end we will use immobilized Cr N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts that are robust and promising alternatives to existing Cr-complexes. We aim to exploit constrained geometries to selectively stabilize those transition geometries that lead to desired end products and we will leverage acidity, polarity and π-donating abilities of the support.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1333: Molecular Heterogeneous Catalysis in Confined Geometries
• Major Instrumentation: In-situ FT-IR Spektrometer
• Instrumentation Group: 1830 Fourier-Transform-IR-Spektrometer
• Applicant Institution: Universität Stuttgart
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Michael R. Buchmeiser; Professor Dr. Joris van Slageren