Activation of C-C bonds in alkanes and cycloalkanes by Ziegler-type systems

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(87)80042-6

Interaction of rhenium carbonyl or carbonyl-hydride complexes (Re2(CO)10, Re3H3(CO)12, Re4H4(CO)12) with organoaluminium compounds (Et3Al, Buⁱ2AlH) in a saturated hydrocarbon medium at 150-180 deg C and an initial H2 pressure of 50 atm. leads to the formation of active catalysts for alkane and cycloalkane hydrogenolysis.At 180 deg C the hydrocarbon conversion are close to 100percent after several hours, with one mole rhenium compound catalyzing the transformations of hundreds of moles of hydrocarbon.The activity of the catalytic system strongly depends on the ratio of its components.At the early stage, the cleavage of terminal CH2-CH3 bonds of initial n-alkanes is the main direction of reaction, while cycloalkanes undergo, first, ring opening.The data obtained show that the catalysts found are organometallic hydride rhenium complexes rather than rhenium metal.