Effect of metal on the ethylene polymerization behavior of a diimine-basedhomogeneous late transition metal catalyst system

The cobalt(II) complex (1) of the didentate nitrogen ligand N,N'-1,2-ethane diylidenebis[2,6-bis(1-methylethyl) phenylamine](L) was synthesized and tes ted in ethylene polymerization. The solid state structures of I and L were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. After activation with methy laluminoxane complex 1 produced mainly branched oligomers with clearly lowe r activity than observed for the corresponding nickel compound (2).