The invention provides a diphenylmethyl-containing asymmetric diimine pyridine complex with nitro-enhanced thermal stability and catalytic activity, and a preparation method and application thereof. The complex has a single catalytic activity center, the molecular weight of a polymer can be regulated and controlled by changing a ligand structure and polymerization conditions, and the complex has the advantages of high catalytic activity, low cost, stable performance and the like. The complex and intermediates thereof have the advantages of mild preparation conditions, short period, simple operation conditions and the like. The asymmetric complex can be applied to a catalyst for ethylene polymerization and has high catalytic activity, and high molecular weight (up to 599.5 kg/mol) linear polyethylene is obtained; especially, the provided iron complex is high in thermal stability, and even at a high temperature of 100 DEG C, the catalytic activity can still be kept at 3.86* 10<6> g*mol<-1>(Fe)*h<-1>. Compared with reported non-nitro substituents (CH3, Cl), the complex has the highest activity and molecular weight. Therefore, the complex can be used at a high environmental temperatureas engineering plastic, and has great industrial application potential.