The present application discloses complexes useful as catalysts for organic chemical synthesis including hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of unsaturated compounds or dehydrogenation of substrates. The range of hydrogenation substrate compounds includes esters, lactones, oils and fats, resulting in alcohols, diols, and triols as reaction products. The catalysts of current application can be used to catalyze a hydrogenation reaction under solvent free conditions. The present catalysts also allow the hydrogenation to proceed without added base, and it can be used in place of the conventional reduction methods employing hydrides of the main-group elements. Furthermore, the catalysts of the present application can catalyze a dehydrogenation reaction under homogenous and/or acceptorless conditions. As such, the catalysts provided herein can be useful in substantially reducing cost and improving the environmental profile of manufacturing processes for variety of chemicals.

Disclosed herein is a catalyst system comprising (i) a heterocyclic 2-[(phosphinyl)aminyl]imine transition metal compound complex having Structure I wherein T is oxygen or sulfur, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 organyl group consisting essentially of inert functional groups, R.sup.3 is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 organyl group, L is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 organylene group consisting essentially of inert functional groups, MX.sub.p represents a transition metal compound where M is a transition metal, X is a monoanion, and p is an integer from 1 to 6, Q is a neutral ligand, and q ranges from 0 to 6, and (ii) an organoaluminum compound. Also disclosed herein is a process comprising contacting (i) ethylene, (ii) a catalyst system comprising (a) a heterocyclic transition metal compound complex having Structure I as described herein and (b) an organoaluminum compound, and (iii) optionally hydrogen to form an oligomer product. ##STR00001##

The present application discloses complexes useful as catalysts for organic chemical synthesis including hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of unsaturated compounds or dehydrogenation of substrates. The range of hydrogenation substrate compounds includes esters, lactones, oils and fats, resulting in alcohols, diols, and triols as reaction products. The catalysts of current application can be used to catalyze a hydrogenation reaction under solvent free conditions. The present catalysts also allow the hydrogenation to proceed without added base, and it can be used in place of the conventional reduction methods employing hydrides of the main-group elements. Furthermore, the catalysts of the present application can catalyze a dehydrogenation reaction under homogenous and/or acceptorless conditions. As such, the catalysts provided herein can be useful in substantially reducing cost and improving the environmental profile of manufacturing processes for variety of chemicals.

The present application discloses complexes useful as catalysts for organic chemical synthesis including hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of unsaturated compounds or dehydrogenation of substrates. The range of hydrogenation substrate compounds includes esters, lactones, oils and fats, resulting in alcohols, diols, and triols as reaction products. The catalysts of current application can be used to catalyze a hydrogenation reaction under solvent free conditions. The present catalysts also allow the hydrogenation to proceed without added base, and it can be used in place of the conventional reduction methods employing hydrides of the main-group elements. Furthermore, the catalysts of the present application can catalyze a dehydrogenation reaction under homogenous and/or acceptorless conditions. As such, the catalysts provided herein can be useful in substantially reducing cost and improving the environmental profile of manufacturing processes for variety of chemicals.

Disclosed herein is a catalyst system comprising (i) a heterocyclic 2-[(phosphinyl)aminyl]imine transition metal compound complex having Structure I wherein T is oxygen or sulfur, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 organyl group consisting essentially of inert functional groups, R.sup.3 is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 organyl group, L is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 organylene group consisting essentially of inert functional groups, MX.sub.p represents a transition metal compound where M is a transition metal, X is a monoanion, and p is an integer from 1 to 6, Q is a neutral ligand, and q ranges from 0 to 6, and (ii) an organoaluminum compound. Also disclosed herein is a process comprising contacting (i) ethylene, (ii) a catalyst system comprising (a) a heterocyclic transition metal compound complex having Structure I as described herein and (b) an organoaluminum compound, and (iii) optionally hydrogen to form an oligomer product.

##STR00001##

The present application discloses novel PWNN and PWNWP metal catalysts for organic chemical syntheses including hydrogenation (reduction) of unsaturated compounds or dehydrogenation of substrates. The range of hydrogenation substrate compounds includes esters, lactones, enals, enones, enolates, oils and fats, resulting in alcohols, enols, diols, and triols as reaction products. The catalysts of current application can be used to catalyze a hydrogenation reaction under solvent free conditions. The present catalysts also allow the hydrogenation to proceed without added base, and it can be used in place of the conventional reduction methods employing hydrides of the main-group elements. Furthermore, the catalysts of the present application can catalyze a dehydrogenation reaction under homogenous and/or acceptorless conditions. As such, the catalysts provided herein can be useful in substantially reducing cost and improving the environmental profile of manufacturing processes for a variety of chemicals.