Iron Bis(Imino) Aryl Catalysts and Methods Thereof

A catalyst compound represented by Formula (I):

• wherein:
• each of R1 and R2 is independently hydrogen, C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C6-C22 aryl, arylalkyl wherein alkyl has from 1 carbon atom to 10 carbon atoms and aryl has from 6 carbon atoms to 20 carbon atoms, or five-, or six-, or seven-membered heterocyclic ring comprising at least one atom selected from the group consisting of N, P, O and S;
• wherein each of R1 and R2 is optionally substituted by halogen, —OR16, —NR172, or —SiR183;
• wherein R1 optionally bonds with R3, and R2 optionally bonds with R5, in each case to independently form a five-, six-, or seven-membered ring;
• each of R3, R4, R5, R8, R9, R10, R1, R14, and R15 is independently hydrogen, C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C6-C22 aryl, arylalkyl wherein alkyl has from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl has from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, —OR16, —NR172, halogen, —SiR183 or five-, six- or seven-membered heterocyclic ring comprising at least one atom selected from the group consisting of N, P, O and S;
• wherein R3, R4, R5, R8, R9, R10, R1, R14, and R15 are optionally substituted by halogen, —OR16, —NR172, or —SiR183;
• wherein R3 optionally bonds with R4, R4 optionally bonds with R5, R7 optionally bonds with R10, R10 optionally bonds with R9, R9 optionally bonds with R8, R8 optionally bonds with R6, R15 optionally bonds with R14, R14 optionally bonds with R13, and R13 optionally bonds with R11, in each case to independently form a five-, six- or seven-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, the heterocyclic ring comprising at least one atom from the group consisting of N, P, O and S;
• each of R6, R7, R11, and R12 is independently hydrogen, C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C6-C22 aryl, arylalkyl wherein alkyl has from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl has from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, α heteroatom or a heteroatom-containing group, or five-, six- or seven-membered heterocyclic ring comprising at least one atom selected from the group consisting of N, P, O and S;
• wherein R6, R7, R11, and R12 are optionally substituted by halogen, —OR16, —NR172, or —SiR183, wherein R6 optionally bonds with R8, R11 optionally bonds with R13, or R15 optionally bonds with R12 in each case to independently form a five-, six- or seven-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring, the heterocyclic ring comprising at least one atom from the group consisting of N, P, O and S;
• wherein at least one of R6, R7, R11, and R12 is independently a heteroatom or a heteroatom-containing group, or at least one of the R6, R7, R11, and R12 is not methyl, or if R11 is H and R12 is iPr, then at least one of R6 and R7 is not methyl;
• each of R16, R17, and R18 is independently hydrogen, C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C6-C22 aryl, arylalkyl where alkyl has from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl has from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, or —SiR193, wherein each R16, R17, and R18 is independently optionally substituted by halogen, or two R16 radicals optionally bond to form a five- or six-membered ring, or two R17 radicals optionally bond to form a five- or six-membered ring, or two R18 radicals optionally bond to form a five- or six-membered ring;
• each R19 is independently hydrogen, C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C6-C22 aryl, arylalkyl where alkyl has from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and aryl has from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, or two R19 radicals optionally bond to form a five- or six-membered ring;
• each of E1, E2, and E3 is independently carbon, nitrogen or phosphorus;
• each of u1, u2, and u3 is independently 0 if E1, E2, or E3 is nitrogen or phosphorus, and each of u1, u2, and u3 is independently 1 if E1, E2, or E3 is carbon;
• each of X1 and X2 is independently substituted hydrocarbyl, and the radicals X can be bonded with one another;
• r is 1 or 2;
• s is 1 or 2;
• D is a neutral donor;
• and
• t is 0 to 2.