Patent ID: 7087687

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 the group consisting of: nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, iron, cobalt, rhodium, chromium, and manganese; M 2 represents a second metal atom selected from the group consisting of: nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, iron, cobalt, 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 –A 8 each represent a set of coordination bonds; WCA represents a weakly coordinating anion; a, b, h, k, m, and p are selected from 0 or 1; α, β, and c each equal 1; d, e, r, s, t, and u are selected from 0, 1, 2, or 3; and f and g are selected from 1, 2, 3, or 4; and wherein: 0≦d+e≦5; 1≦m+p≦2; 1≦r+s≦5; 0≦t+u≦5; 2≦f+g≦7; the sum d+f+r+t=4; and the sum e+g+s+u=4.