A chromium catalyst for the polymerization of ethylene as a homogeneous model for the phillips catalyst.

A structurally characterized cationic chromium(III) alkyl featuring a bulky nacnac ligand catalyzes the polymerization of ethylene as well as the copolymerization of ethylene with alpha-olefins. This well-characterized homogeneous catalyst constitutes a structural as well as functional model of the widely used heterogeneous Phillips olefin polymerization catalyst.

A stable alkyl hydride of a first row transition metal.

Hydrogenolysis of a Cr(III) dialkyl precursor produced a binuclear chromium complex with a bridging hydride and a bridging alkyl; this structurally characterized organometallic compound is thermally very stable and does not undergo the expected reductive elimination of alkane.