Catalysis by organometallic compounds105.3.2 Ziegler-Natta polymerisation
Ziegler-Natta catalyst^4 Ziegler in the 40’s worked on the oligomerisation of ethylene by
aluminium alkyls via the reaction HAl-R + CH 2 =CH 2 -> HAl-CH 2 CH 2 -R
Figure 202
105.3.3 Enantioselective hydrogenation
Wilkinson’s
Figure 203
105.3.4 Hydroformylation
Hydroformylation^5 Hydroformylation is the process that transforms an alkene into an alde-
hyde by reaction with CO.
The catalyst is a hydridocarbonyl complex, HCO(CO) 5
Figure 204
105.3.5 Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is the heterogeneously-catalysed formation of hydrocarbons (alka-
nes and alkenes) from CO and hydrogen (synthesis gas). It can be seen as the inverse of
synthesisgas^6 preparation(althoughthisisusuallyfrommethaneandlighterhydrocarbons).
It is the heart of the gas-to-liquids processes developed commercially by big petrochemical
firms in the 90’s.
4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zieglar-Natta_catalyst
5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroformylation
6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesis%20gas