Disclosed are processes for oligomerizing ethylene by contacting a catalyst system, ethylene, and optionally hydrogen to form an oligomer product in a reaction zone, wherein the catalyst system comprises: a chromium component comprising an N.sup.2-phosphinyl amidine chromium compound complex, an N.sup.2-phosphinyl formamidine chromium compound complex, and/or an N.sup.2-phosphinyl guanidine chromium compound complex, and an aluminoxane; wherein the aluminoxane is characterized by 400 MHz proton NMR in which: (a) the ratio of peaks found in the range of 0.86 ppm to 0.74 ppm to peaks found in a range of 0.03 ppm to 0.07 ppm is less than or equal to 2.8:1; (b) the ratio of peaks found in the range of 0.03 ppm to 0.025 ppm to peaks found in a range of 0.025 ppm to 0.07 ppm is less than or equal to 15:1; and/or (c) the ratio of peaks found in a range of 0.86 ppm to 0.78 ppm to peaks found in the range of 0.78 ppm to 0.74 ppm is less than or equal to 6.5:1.

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.

The metal-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of a lactone is a method of alkoxycarbonylating a -lactone, specifically 3-ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one. The method includes combining the -lactone with an alcohol in an organic solvent in the presence of a catalyst system that includes palladium or a salt thereof to form a reaction mixture, which is heated to 110-130 C. at a pressure of 20-50 bar for between 3-5 hours under flow of carbon monoxide gas. The product of the reaction is a substituted 2-octendioate diester. The alcohol may be methyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or phenol. The solvent may be toluene, acetonitrile, or tetrahydrofuran. The method may include adding an acid to the reaction mixture, which may be dilute (about 5 mol %) sulfuric or p-toluenesulfonic acid. The catalyst system may also include a phosphine ligand.

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.

A compound having a chemical formula according to Formula (I) is disclosed where one of Z.sub.1, Z.sub.2 and Z.sub.3 is and one of the Z.sub.1, Z.sub.2, and Z.sub.3 that is bonded to a carbon atom that is adjacent to the carbon atom bonded to is P(AR.sub.1)(AR.sub.2). Metal-based catalyst and pre-catalysts, such as nickel-based catalysts and precatalysts, where the metal is complexed to the compound are also disclosed. Methods of forming C(sp2)-N bonds are also disclosed.

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.

Catalyst compositions are prepared by contacting a palladium source and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane and a methoxyocta-diene compound, in a primary aliphatic alcohol, under suitable conditions including a ratio of equivalents of palladium to equivalents of 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaadamantane ranging from greater than 1:1 to 1:1.3. The result is a complex of palladium, a 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-6-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phosphaada-mantane ligand, and a ligand selected from a methoxyoctadiene ligand, an octadienyl ligand, or a protonated octadienyl. Such complexes may, in solution, exhibit surprising solubility and storage stability and are useful in the telomerization of butadiene, which is a step in the production of 1-octene.

The disclosure is directed to: (a) phosphacycle ligands; (b) catalyst compositions comprising phosphacycle ligands; and (c) methods of using such phosphacycle ligands and catalyst compositions in bond forming reactions.