2-(1-Aryliminopropylidene)quinolylcobalt(ii) dichlorides: synthesis, characterization and catalytic behaviour towards ethylene

A series of 2-(1-aryliminopropylidene)quinolines and their cobalt(II) chlorides were synthesized and characterized. Activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO) under 10 atm ethylene pressure, all the cobalt procatalysts exhibited good activities for ethylene dimerization at room temperature, however, performed ethylene polymerization at elevated reaction temperatures. Sole ethylene polymerization was achieved at 10 atm ethylene at 90 °C. The polyethylenes obtained indicated that the molecular weight ranged from 92.5 Kg mol−1 to 176.9 Kg mol−1 with narrower molecular weight distributions (2.82–4.17).