Ethylene oligomerization on nickel catalysts on a solid acid support: From New mechanistic insights to tunable bifunctionality

Light alkene oligomerization on heterogeneous acidic catalysts is widely and successfully used in current commercial processes. However, ethylene remains inefficient due to ethylene’s inability form reaction intermediates a sufficient extent acid sites. Adding Ni(II) solid acids can more efficiently catalyze selectively produce butenes fuel range products. The review proposes complete detailed mechanism of heterogenous Ni-catalyzed oligomerization, whose structures are supported by combining various studies throughout recent literature, focuses the bifunctional effects nickel sites oligomerization. Using experiments, first-principles calculations, kinetic modeling, Ni2+ has been shown oligomerize light, linear alkenes via Cossee-Arlman mechanism, while Brønsted H+ further alkylation, cracking, isomerization reactions. conditions catalyst properties selectivity activity for systematically discussed. Tuning relative nickel-to-acid site ratio framework support allow an optimal design directed towards desirable