The present invention relates to a catalyst composition and a process for the oligomerization of ethylene to produce 1-hexene or 1-octene, wherein the catalyst composition comprises a chromium compound; an NPNPN ligand of the formula (R.sup.1) (R.sup.2)NP(R.sup.3)N(R.sup.4)P(R.sup.5)N(R.sup.6)(R.sup.7), wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are each independently hydrogen, halogen, amino, tri-methylsilyl or C.sub.1-C.sub.20 hydrocarbyl, preferably straight-chain or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.10 alkyl, phenyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.20 aryl or C.sub.6-C.sub.20 alkyl-substituted phenyl.

The present invention concerns a process for converting biomass into useful organic building blocks for the chemical industry. The process involves the use of molybdenum catalysts of the formula A.sup.a+a(Mo.sub.vX.sub.xR.sup.1.sub.yR.sup.2.sub.zR.sup.3e).sup.a*3, which may be readily prepared from industrial molybdenum compounds.

The present invention relates to a 1-octene composition. The 1-octene composition according to the present invention is prepared by ethylene oligomerization and comprises a high content of 1-octene and monomers useful for copolymerization of 1-octene at the same time.

The present invention relates to compositions comprising alkene benzenes or alkene benzene sulfonates or alkylbenzenes or alkylbenzene sulfonates; methods for making alkene benzenes or alkene benzene sulfonates or alkylbenzenes or alkylbenzene sulfonates; where the benzene ring is optionally substituted with one or more groups designated R*, where R* is defined herein. More particularly, the present invention relates to compositions comprising 2-phenyl linear alkene benzenes or 2-phenyl linear alkene benzene sulfonates or 2-phenyl linear alkylbenzenes or 2-phenyl linear alkylbenzene sulfonates; methods for making 2-phenyl alkene benzenes or 2-phenyl alkene benzene sulfonates or 2-phenyl alkylbenzenes or 2-phenyl alkylbenzene sulfonates; where the benzene ring is optionally substituted with one or more groups designated R*, where R* is defined herein.

A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (V):

##STR00001## comprising at least the step of reacting a compound of formula (VI)

##STR00002## with a compound (VII)

##STR00003## wherein; R.sub.2 is hydrogen or a C1-C20 hydrocarbyl radical provided that at least one R.sub.2 is not hydrogen; R.sub.5 is hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms from groups 14-16; R.sub.6 is hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms from groups 14-16; n is 1, 2 or 3; each R.sub.8 is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; and Hal is a halide; in the presence of a nickel imidazolidin-2-ylidene compound.

This disclosure relates to a novel ligand compound that can oligomerize ethylene with high catalyst activity and selectivity, a catalyst system for olefin oligomerization including the same, and a method for olefin oligomerization using the same.

The present invention relates generally to catalysts and processes for the Z-selective formation of internal olefin(s) from terminal olefin(s) via homo-metathesis reactions.

A catalyst in solid particulate form free from an external carrier material comprising (I) a complex of formula (I) ##STR00001## wherein M is zirconium or hafnium; each X is a sigma ligand; L is a divalent bridge selected from R.sub.2C, R.sub.2CCR.sub.2, R.sub.2Si, R.sub.2SiSiR.sub.2, R.sub.2Ge, wherein each R is independently a hydrogen atom, C1-C20-alkyl, tri(C1-C20-alkyl)silyl, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-arylalkyl or C7-C20-alkylaryl; each R.sub.2 is independently hydrogen or a C1-C20 hydrocarbyl radical provided that at least one R.sub.2 is not hydrogen; each R.sub.5 is independently hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms from groups 14-16; each R.sub.6 is independently hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms from groups 14-16; each n is independently 1, 2 or 3; and each R.sub.8 is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; and (ii) a cocatalyst comprising a compound of a group 13 metal, e.g. Al or boron.

A catalyst comprising (i) an asymmetric complex of formula (I) ##STR00001## wherein M is zirconium or hafnium; each X is a sigma ligand; L is a divalent bridge selected from R.sub.2C, R.sub.2CCR.sub.2, R.sub.2Si, R.sub.2SiSiR.sub.2, R.sub.2Ge, wherein each R is independently a hydrogen atom, C1-C20-alkyl, tri(C1-C20-alkyl)silyl, C6-C20-aryl, C7-C20-arylalkyl or C7-C20-alkylaryl; R.sub.2 and R.sub.2 are each independently linear C.sub.1-10 hydrocarbyl; R.sub.5 and R.sub.5 are each independently hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; R.sub.6 and R.sub.6 are each independently hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; R.sub.7 is hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group or is ZR.sub.3; Z is O or S, preferably O; R.sub.3 is a C1-10 hydrocarbyl group; Ar is an aryl or heteroaryl group having up to 20 carbon atoms optionally substituted by one or more groups R.sub.8; Ar is an aryl or heteroaryl group having up to 20 carbon atoms optionally substituted by one or more groups R.sub.8; and R.sub.8 and R.sub.8 are each independently is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; with the proviso that at least one of R.sub.6 or R.sub.7 is not H; and (ii) a cocatalyst comprising a compound of a group 13 metal, e.g. boron.

A neutral or cationic mononuclear ruthenium divalent complex represented by formula (1) can actualize exceptional catalytic activity in at least one reaction among a hydrosilylation reaction, hydrogenation reaction, and carbonyl compound reduction reaction.

##STR00001##

(In the formula, R.sup.1-R.sup.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, aryl group, aralkyl group, organooxy group, monoorganoamino group, diorganoamino group, monoorganophosphino group, diorganophosphino group, monoorganosilyl group, diorganosilyl group, triorganosilyl group, or organothio group optionally substituted by X; at least one pair comprising any of R.sup.1-R.sup.3 and any of R.sup.4-R.sup.6 together represents a crosslinkable substituent; X represents a halogen atom, organooxy group, monoorganoamino group, diorganoamino group, or organothio group; L each independently represent a two-electron ligand other than CO and thiourea ligands; two L may bond to each other; and m represents an integer of 3 or 4.)