The invention provides an
iron complex, the structural general formula of the
iron complex is as shown in formula (I), in the formula (I), R1-R11 are respectively and independently selected from
hydrogen, C1-C6
alkyl,
halogen, C1-C6 alkoxy,
nitryl and
aryl, R12-R13 are the same or different and are respectively and independently selected from C2-C6 alkylene, and X is
halogen. The
iron complex with a specific structure provided by the invention is suitable for being used as a main catalyst of an
ethylene oligomerization catalyst. The
ethylene oligomerization catalyst using the iron complex as the main catalyst also has high oligomerization reaction activity at a high temperature (more than 60 DEG C), when the oligomerization reaction activity is increased to about 60 DEG C from low to high, the catalytic activity is reduced slowly, and the oligomerization reaction is rapid in
initiation, stable in operation and good in
repeatability; and when the temperature is higher than 60 DEG C,
condensed water can be used as a condensing medium for reaction, so that the
energy consumption of a process device is reduced. The invention also provides a preparation method and application of the iron complex, an
ethylene oligomerization catalyst and an ethylene oligomerization method.