Alkoxysilane modification of a Ti‐based catalyst system for ethylene dimerization: A step forward in enhancing productivity and selectivity

Alkoxysilanes were used as novel enhancing agents in the Ti‐based catalyst for the highly selective ethylene dimerization to butene‐1. The dimerization of ethylene was carried out using the homogeneous Ti(OBu)₄/THF/TEA/alkoxysilane catalyst system, where Ti(OBu)₄, THF (tetrahydrofuran), TEA (triethylaluminum), and alkoxysilane were used as catalyst, additive, activator, and modifier, respectively. The nature and concentration of alkoxysilanes on the dimerization rate, catalyst yield, by‐products production, and selectivity to butene‐1 were investigated in detail. It was found that the performance of alkoxysilanes assisted with the class of the Ti‐based catalyst system, developed in this work, has been furthered by high productivity and selectivity with respect to the bare catalyst system. It proved that alkoxysilanes could play an excellent improving role in the selective ethylene dimerization process. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44615.