Sasol Technology Proprietary Limited

Sasol Technology (Pty) Limited

Munaka Christopher Maumela

Matthew James Overett

Moses Mokgolela Mogorosi

Molise Stephen Mokhadinyana

Kevin Blann

Hulisani Maumela

Jan-Albert Van Den Berg

Werner Janse Van Rensburg

Cedric Wahl Holzapfel

A process for the tetramerization of ethylene includes contacting ethylene with a catalyst under ethylene oligomerization conditions. The catalyst comprises a source of chromium, a ligating compound, and an activator. The ligating compound includes a phosphine that forms part of a cyclic structure.

Tetramerisation of ethylene

A process for the oligomerization of ethylene to predominantly 1-hexene or 1-octene or mixtures of 1-hexene and 1-octene includes contacting ethylene with a catalyst under ethylene oligomerization conditions. The catalyst comprises a source of chromium, a diphosphine ligating compound, and optionally an activator. The diphosphine ligating compound includes at least one optionally substituted fused cyclic structure including at least two rings, the optionally substituted fused cyclic structure including a 5- to 7-membered aromatic first ring bonded to a phosphorus atom, the aromatic first ring being fused to a 4- to 8-membered heterocyclic second ring, the heterocyclic second ring including a heteroatom which is separated by two ring atoms along the shortest connecting path from the phosphorous atom that is bonded to the first aromatic ring.

Oligomerisation of ethylene to mixtures of 1-hexene and 1-octene

A process for the oligomerization, preferably the tetramerization, of ethylene to predominantly 1-hexene or 1-octene or mixtures of 1-hexene and 1-octene includes contacting ethylene with a catalyst under ethylene oligomerization conditions. The catalyst comprises a source of chromium, a diphosphine ligating compound, and optionally an activator. The diphosphine ligating compound includes at least one substituted aromatic ring bonded to a phosphorous atom. The substituted aromatic ring is substituted at a ring atom adjacent to the ring atom bonded to the respective phosphorous atom with a group Y, where Y is of the form &#x2014;AR, A being O, S or NR, where Ris a hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or organoheteryl group, and Ris an electron withdrawing group.

A process for the tetramerisation of ethylene under solution phase conditions is carried out in the presence of an activated catalyst at a temperature above 80&#xb0; C. and up to a temperature of about 130&#xb0; C. The activated catalyst is provided by combining a source of chromium, a ligating compound, which ligating compound includes at least one fluorine substituted hydrocarbyl group, organoheteryl group, or heterohydrocarbyl group, and optionally a catalyst activator or combination of catalyst activators.

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Munaka Christopher Maumela