Patent ID: 7179871

Claim:
A process for the production of alpha-olefins comprising contacting one or more complexes of bis-aryliminepyridine MX n complex comprising a non-symmetrical bis-aryliminepyridine ligand of formula (I), wherein R 1 –R 5 and R 7 –R 9 and R 12 –R 14 are each, independently, hydrogen, optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, an inert functional group, or any two of R 1 –R 3 , R 7 –R 9 and R 12 –R 14 vicinal to one another taken together may form a ring, and R 6 and R 10 are each, independently, an inert functional group or a primary or secondary carbon atom group provided that R 6 and R 10 are not both a secondary carbon atom group, and R 11 and R 15 are, independently, hydrogen or halide, and wherein M is a metal atom selected from Fe or Co, n is 2 or 3, and X is halide, optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, alkoxide, amide, or hydride with ethylkene and a second compound which is capable of transferring an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl or hydride group to a metal atom M selected from Fe or Co, and which is also capable of abstracting an X − group from said metal atom, at a temperature in the range of about −100° C. to about +300° C.