Etude cinetique de l'oligomerisation de l'ethylene amorcee par le complexe butyl-lithium tertiaire NNN′N′ tetramethylethylenediamine (tBuLi-TMEDA)

tButyl-lithium in the presence of TMEDA progressively adds ethylene molecules to produce a linear alkyl-lithium compound. This oligomerization has been studied at low pressures (0–1 atm) and temperature (0°). The rate of consumption of ethylene depends on the pressure, tBuLi concentration, and TMEDA concentration. By varying the molar ratio r, (TMEDA/|tBuLi|₀), from 0–1 to 4·3, the rate of consumption increased up to r = 1, where it becomes independent of r. A mechanism for the addition reaction is proposed.