Patent ID: 7172986

Claim:
A catalytic composition comprising at least one cationic metal-pair complex, wherein: said cationic metal-pair complex comprises at least one metal atom pair, said pair comprising a first metal atom, M 1 , and a second metal atom, M 2 ; said first metal atom and said second metal atom of said pair have a through-space internuclear distance of at least 1.5 Angstroms and no more than 20 Angstroms; and said cationic metal-pair complex is a complex according to formula I, wherein: M 1 represents a first metal atom selected from copper, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese; L 1 represents a set of first ligands; L 2 represents a set of second ligands; L 3 represents a set of third ligands; R 1 represents a set of first anionic hydrocarbyl containing radicals; R 2 represents a set of second anionic hydrocarbyl containing radicals; S 1 represents a set of first labile ligands; S 2 represents a set of second labile ligands; A 1 â€“A 8 each represent a set of coordination bonds; WCA represents a weakly coordinating anion; a, b, h, k, m, and p are each selected from 0 and 1; Î±, Î², and c each equal 1; d, r, and t are each selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; f is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; 1â‰¦m+pâ‰¦2; the sum d+f+r+t=6; and sum e+g+s+u=4, 5, or 6; and wherein: when the sum e+g+s+u=4, M 2 represents a second metal atom selected from nickel, palladium, copper, iron, cobalt, rhodium, chromium, and manganese; e, s, and u are each selected from 0, 1, 2, and 3; g is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4; 0â‰¦d+eâ‰¦7; 1â‰¦r+sâ‰¦7; 0â‰¦t+uâ‰¦7; and 2â‰¦f+gâ‰¦9; or when the sum e+g+s+u=6, M 2 represents a second metal atom selected from copper, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, chromium, and manganese; e, s, and u are each selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; g is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; 0â‰¦d+eâ‰¦9; 1â‰¦r+sâ‰¦9; 0â‰¦t+uâ‰¦9; and 2â‰¦f+gâ‰¦11.