Alternative aluminum-based cocatalysts for the iron-catalyzed oligomerization of ethylene.

Multinuclear aluminum cocatalysts have been obtained by the reaction of various phenols, alcohols or diols with trimethylaluminum and were used in situ or as isolated, well-defined species, for the activation of an iron(ii) or an iron(iii) pre-catalyst for the oligomerization of ethylene. The best cocatalyst candidate involves 2,2'-biphenol () in a /AlMe3 ratio of 2/3.