Identification of the structure of Ni active sites for ethylene oligomerization on an amorphous silica-alumina supported nickel catalyst

The structure of Ni active sites supported on amorphous silica-alumina supports with different contents of Al2O3 loadings in relation to their activities in ethylene oligomerization were investigated. Two kinds of Ni sites were detected by in situ FTIR-CO and H2-TPR experiments, that are Ni2+ cations as grafted on weak acidic silanols and Ni2+ cations at ion-exchange positions. The ethylene oligomerization activities of these Ni/ASA catalysts were found an ascending tendency as the Al2O3 loading decreased, which could be attributed to the enriched concentration of Ni2+ species on acidic silanols with a weaker interaction with the amorphous silica-alumina support. These Ni2+ species were more easily to be evolved into Ni+ species, which has been identified to be the active sites of ethylene oligomerization. Thus, it seems reasonable to conclude that Ni2+ species grafted on acidic silanols were the precursors of active sites.