Regulating the polyethylene microstructure by increasing steric crowding in naphthoxy imine-ligated Ni(ii) complexes

Here we report the syntheses of systematically sterically tailored naphthoxy imine-ligated nickel complexes and, their performance in ethylene polymerization. Sterically less bulky Ni1 and Ni2 produced highly branched (43–54) PE, while the bulkiest Ni3 suppressed branching (only 28).