Highly selective trimerization of ethylene with half-sandwich cyclopentadienyl and indenyl titanium complexes bearing pendant thienyl group.

Highlights: [•] A series of titanium complexes [Cp(Ind)-(bridge)-thienyl]TiCl3 have been synthesized. [•] No intramolecular coordination could be observed by X-ray study. [•] The substitutents at the 5-position of the thienyl group can increase the trimerization activity. [•] Indenyl complexes are more active and more tolerant of temperature than Cp complexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]