Polymerization of ethylene molecules chemisorbed on CrOH+ as a model system of chromium-containing catalyst.

The reaction process of the production of CrOH(C2H4)2(+) was studied in connection with the ethylene polymerization on a silica-supported chromium oxide catalyst (the Phillips catalyst). Cluster ions CrOH(C2H4)2(+) and CrOH(C4H8)+ were produced by the reactions of CrOH+ with C2H4 (ethylene) and C4H8 (1-butene), respectively, and were allowed to collide with a Xe atom under single collision conditions. The cross section for dissociation of each parent cluster ion was measured as a function of the collision energy (collision-induced dissociation, or CID).