Patent ID: 9676680
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: C07C

Claim:
1. A method of coupling a n-alkane reactant with a n-alkene reactant so as to form one or more branched alkene products in a single stage tandem process, comprising: coupling a n-alkane reactant with a n-alkene reactant in the presence of a catalyst comprising: (i) a hydrogen transfer catalyst and (ii) an alkene dimerization catalyst so as to generate one or more branched alkene products, wherein the molecular weight of the one or more branched alkene products is greater than the molecular weight of the n-alkane reactant and greater than the molecular weight of the n-alkene reactant; wherein the hydrogen transfer catalyst is an iridium pincer complex catalyst and the alkene dimerization catalyst is a tantalum catalyst that is selective for the formation of dimer products comprising a structure of Formula II: wherein Z is either 1 or 2; n is an integer from 1 to 5; each Y is independently selected from the group consisting of D, H, optionally substituted C Y Y R R wherein the one or more branched alkene products comprise one or more carbon atoms from both the n-alkane reactant and the n-alkene reactant.