A process to produce a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer comprising combining a catalyst precursor and an activator with a feed comprising ethylene, C3 to C12 -olefins, and a dual-polymerizable diene to obtain a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer; where the catalyst precursor is selected from pyridyldiamide and quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes. The branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer may comprise within a range from 40 to 80 wt % of ethylene-derived units by weight of the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer, and 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, and the remainder comprising C3 to C12 -olefin derived units, wherein the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer has a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) within a range from 100 kg/mole to 300 kg/mole, an average branching index (g.sub.avg) of 0.9 or more, and a branching index at very high M.sub.w (g.sub.1000) of less than 0.9.

A process to produce a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer comprising combining a catalyst precursor and an activator with a feed comprising ethylene, C3 to C12 -olefins, and a dual-polymerizable diene to obtain a branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer; where the catalyst precursor is selected from pyridyldiamide and quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes. The branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer may comprise within a range from 40 to 80 wt % of ethylene-derived units by weight of the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer, and 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, 0.1 to 2 wt % of singly-polymerizable diene derived units, and the remainder comprising C3 to C12 -olefin derived units, wherein the branched ethylene--olefin diene elastomer has a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) within a range from 100 kg/mole to 300 kg/mole, an average branching index (g.sub.avg) of 0.9 or more, and a branching index at very high M.sub.w (g.sub.1000) of less than 0.9.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

The present disclosure provides tri-orthoalkylphenyl phosphine catalysts of formula I ##STR00001## wherein A is CH2, CO, or NR.sup.A; R.sup.1 is aryl, heteroaryl, isopropyl, tert-butyl, cycloalkyl, or heterocycloalkyl, wherein aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl and heterocycloalkyl are optionally substituted; R.sup.2 is H, (C.sub.1-C.sub.8)alkyl, (C.sub.1-C.sub.8)alkoxy, N(R.sup.A).sub.2, or an electron withdrawing group; and each R.sup.A is independently H or (C.sub.1-C.sub.8)alkyl; that are tuned electrically and sterically.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

Compound of formula (4) or formula (5), wherein L is a neutral ligand, preferably a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic carbene (NHC) such as carbene containing at least two nitrogen atoms, a cyclic aminoalkyl carbene (CAAC) or a bicyclic aminoalkyl carbene (BICAAC); R.sup.1, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 are, independently, H, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkyl, C.sub.5-9 cycloalkyl, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkoxy, optionally bearing one or more halogen atoms, respectively; or aryl, optionally substituted with one or more of unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkyl, C.sub.5-9 cycloalkyl, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, heteroaryl, carboxyl, cyano, nitro, amido, aminosulfonyl, N-heteroarylsulfonyl, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkylthio, arylthio, sulfonamide, halogen or N(R.sup.y)(R.sup.z), wherein R.sup.y and R.sup.z are independently selected from H and C.sub.1-20 alkyl: R.sup.C is H, unbranched or branched C.sub.1-20 alkyl.

##STR00001##

An oxidative homocoupling method of synthesizing certain 2,2-bithiophenes from thiophenes using oxygen as the terminal oxidant is disclosed. In non-limiting examples, the method uses oxygen along with a catalytic system that includes palladium, an assistive ligand, and a non-palladium metal additive to catalyze one of the following reactions:

##STR00001##

Associated catalytic systems and compositions are also disclosed.

A method is provided of forming an olefin from a first olefin and a second olefin in a metathesis reaction, comprising reacting the first olefin with the second olefin in the presence of a compound that catalyzes the metathesis reaction such that the molar ratio of the compound to the first or the second olefin is from 1:500 or less, and the conversion of the first or the second olefin to the olefin is at least 30%.

A novel metal organic framework, EMM-42, is described having the structure of UiO-66 and comprising bisphosphonate linking ligands. EMM-42 has acid activity and is useful as a catalyst in olefin isomerization. Also disclosed is a process of making metal organic frameworks, such as EMM-42, by heterogeneous ligand exchange, in which linking ligands having a first bonding functionality in a host metal organic framework are exchanged with linking ligands having a second different bonding functionality in the framework.