Metallocene catalysis in the complex-radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate

The initiation stage of methyl methacrylate polymerization in the presence of benzoyl peroxide-metallocene (MC) systems is considered, with MC = Cp₂Fe, (C₅Me₅)₂Fe, (AcC₅H₄)(C₅H₅)Fe, Cp₂TiCl₂, Cp₂ZrCl₂, and (C₅Me₅)₂ZrCl₂. The decomposition of benzoyl peroxide in the presence of a metallocene proceeds via the formation of its complex with the metallocene. The catalytic effect of the metallocenes on the initiation of methyl methacrylate polymerization is due to the formation of a metallocene-benzoyl peroxide complex and its decomposition yielding primary radicals. The chain propagation stage is metallocene-dependent, which is explained by the formation of complex sites. Their formation pathway and structures are analyzed using quantum-chemical calculations.     

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate using a metallocene catalyst system

Methyl methacrylate was polymerized with Cp₂YCl(THF) or IVB group metallocene compounds (i.e., Cp₂ZrCl₂ and Cp₂HfCl₂, etc.), in the presence of a Lewis acid like Zn(C₂H₅)₂. The Lewis acid was complexed with methyl methacrylate, which avoided the metallocene compounds being poisoned with a functional group. A living polymerization was promoted through the use of metallocene/MAO/Zn(C₂H₅)₂, which gave tactic poly(methyl methacrylate) with a high molecular weight. The polymer yield increases with polymerization time, which indicates that the propagation rate is zero in order in the concentration of the monomer. The polymer yield increases also with the concentration of Cp₂YCl(THF), which indicates the yttrocene to be the real catalyst. When the polymerization temperature exceeds room temperature, the poly(methyl methacrylate) cannot be synthesized by the Cp₂YCl(THF) catalyst. When the reaction temperature reachs −60 °C, the poly(methyl methacrylate) is high syndiotatic and molecular weight by the Cp₂YCl(THF)/MAO catalyst system. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1184–1194, 2000     

The influence of differently substituted cyclopentadienyl CpR ligands on the reactivity of [CpRFe(CO)2]2 with yellow arsenic

The influence of differently substituted cyclopentadienyl Cp^R ligands on the reaction outcome of [Cp^RFe(CO)₂]₂ (Cp^R = C₅Me₅, EtC₅Me₄, 1,3-Bu₂tC₅H₃) with As₄ is examined. For C₅Me₅ and EtC₅Me₄, the pentaarsaferrocene derivatives [Cp^RFe(η⁵-As₅)] are formed together with [(Cp^RFe)₃As₆] and [(Cp^RFe)₃As₆{(η³-As₃)Fe}], while for 1,3-Bu₂^tC₅H₃ only [(Cp^RFe)₃As₆] is formed. The reaction of [(Me₅C₅Fe)₃As₆{(η³-As₃)Fe}] with Tl⁺ leads to [{(Me₅C₅Fe)₃As₆Fe}₂(μ,η³:η³-As₃)]²⁺ representing an unexpected dicationic cluster.     

Thermal decomposition of organo-bielemental vanadium compounds Cp2V(ER3) (ER3 - GeEt3, SnEt3, CH2SiMe3 SeGeEt3)

The thermal decompositon of a number of organo-bielemental vanadium compounds with the general formula Cp₂V(ER₃) (ER₃ - GeEt₃, SnEt₃, CH₂SiMe₃, SeGeEt₃) has been investigated in solids and in solution. The main decomposition products of Cp₂V(SnEt₃) are vanadocene and hexaethyldistannane. Et₃GeH, Et₃GeCp, Cp₂V and CpV(C₅H₄GeEt₃) are formed from Cp₂V (GeET₃) decomposition. Isolated CpV(C₅H₄GeEt₃) is characterized by IR and mass spectra. The decomposition of Cp₂V(CH₂SiMe₃) is accompanied by Me₄Si, Cp₂V and CpV-(C₅H₄CH₂SiMe₃) formation, the latter is identified from the mass spectrum. Triethylgermane, vanadocene, and a diselenide of vanadium are isolated on decomposition of Cp₂V(SeGeEt₃). Based upon the experimental data, mechanisms for the decompositon are proposed.     

Synthesis of Dinuclear Mo−Fe Hydride Complexes and Catalytic Silylation of N2

Two transition-metal atoms bridged by hydrides may represent a useful structural motif for N₂ activation by molecular complexes and the enzyme active site. In this study, dinuclear Mo^IV-Fe^II complexes with bridging hydrides, Cp^RMo(PMe₃)(H)(μ-H)₃FeCp* ( 2 a ; Cp^R=Cp*=C₅Me₅, 2 b ; Cp^R=C₅Me₄H), were synthesized via deprotonation of Cp^RMo(PMe₃)H₅ ( 1 a ; Cp^R=Cp*, 1 b ; Cp^R=C₅Me₄H) by Cp*FeN(SiMe₃)₂, and they were characterized by spectroscopy and crystallography. These Mo−Fe complexes reveal the shortest Mo−Fe distances ever reported (2.4005(3) Å for 2 a and 2.3952(3) Å for 2 b ), and the Mo−Fe interactions were analyzed by computational studies. Removal of the terminal Mo−H hydride in 2 a – 2 b by [Ph₃C]⁺ in THF led to the formation of cationic THF adducts [Cp^RMo(PMe₃)(THF)(μ-H)₃FeCp*]⁺ ( 3 a ; Cp^R=Cp*, 3 b ; Cp^R=C₅Me₄H). Further reaction of 3 a with LiPPh₂ gave rise to a phosphido-bridged complex Cp*Mo(PMe₃)(μ-H)(μ-PPh₂)FeCp* ( 4 ). A series of Mo−Fe complexes were subjected to catalytic silylation of N₂ in the presence of Na and Me₃SiCl, furnishing up to 129±20 equiv of N(SiMe₃)₃ per molecule of 2 b . Mechanism of the catalytic cycle was analyzed by DFT calculations.     

Molecular Thorium Trihydrido Clusters Stabilized by Cyclopentadienyl Ligands

Hydrogenolysis of alkyl‐substituted cyclopentadienyl (Cp^R) ligated thorium tribenzyl complexes [(Cp^R)Th(p‐CH₂‐C₆H₄‐Me)₃] ( 1 – 6 ) afforded the first examples of molecular thorium trihydrido complexes [(Cp^R)Th(μ‐H)₃]_n (Cp^R=C₅H₂(^tBu)₃ or C₅H₂(SiMe₃)₃, n=5; C₅Me₄SiMe₃, n=6; C₅Me₅, n=7; C₅Me₄H, n=8; 7 – 10 and 12 ) and [(Cp^#)₁₂Th₁₃H₄₀] (Cp^#=C₅H₄SiMe₃; 13 ). The nuclearity of the metal hydride clusters depends on the steric profile of the cyclopentadienyl ligands. The hydrogenolysis intermediate, tetra‐nuclear octahydrido thorium dibenzylidene complex [(Cp^ttt)Th(μ‐H)₂]₄(μ‐p‐CH‐C₆H₄‐Me)₂ (Cp^ttt=C₅H₂(^tBu)₃) ( 11 ) was also isolated. All of the complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Hydride positions in [(Cp^Me4)Th(μ‐H)₃]₈ (Cp^Me4=C₅Me₄H) were further precisely confirmed by single‐crystal neutron diffraction. DFT calculations strengthen the experimental assignment of the hydride positions in the complexes 7 to 12 .     

Metallocene-mediated cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers: Kinetics of polymerization and synthesis and characterization of statistical copolymers

The cationic polymerization of ethyl, n-butyl and iso-butyl vinyl ether, EVE, BVE and iBVE, respectively, was efficiently conducted using bis(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)dimethyl hafnium, Cp₂HfMe₂, or bis(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)dimethyl zirconium, Cp₂ZrMe₂ in combination with either tris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, B(C₆F₅)₃, or tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate dimethylanilinum salt, [B(C₆F₅)₄]^?[Me₂NHPh]⁺, as initiation systems. The evolution of polymer yield, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution with time was examined. In addition, the influence of the initiating system, the monomer and the reaction conditions on the control of the polymerization was studied. Furthermore, statistical copolymers of EVE with BVE were prepared employing Cp₂HfMe₂ and [B(C₆F₅)₄]^?[Me₂NHPh]⁺ as the initiation system. The reactivity ratios were estimated using both linear graphical and non-linear methods. Structural parameters of the copolymers were obtained by calculating the dyad sequence fractions and the mean sequence length, which were derived using the monomer reactivity ratios. The glass transition temperatures, Tg, of the copolymers were measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry, DSC, and the results were compared with predictions based on several theoretical models. The kinetics of thermal decomposition of the copolymers along with the respective homopolymers was studied by thermogravimetric analysis within the framework of the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall and Kissinger methodologies.     

High polymerization of methyl methacrylate with organonickel/MMAO systems

A series of nickel complexes, including Ni(acac)₂, (C₅H₅)Ni(η³‐allyl), and [NiMe₄Li₂(THF)₂]₂, that were activated with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) exhibited high catalytic activity for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) but showed no catalytic activity for the polymerization of ethylene and 1‐olefins. The resulting polymers exhibited rather broad molecular weight distributions and low syndiotacticities. In contrast to these initiators, the metallocene complexes (C₅H₅)₂Ni, (C₅Me₅)₂Ni, (Ind)₂Ni, and (Me₃SiC₅H₄)₂Ni provided narrower molecular weight distributions at 60 °C when these initiator were activated with MMAO. Half‐metallocene complexes such as (C₅H₅)NiCl(PPh₃), (C₅Me₅)NiCl(PPh₃), and (Ind)NiCl(PPh₃) produced poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with much narrower molecular weight distributions when the polymerization was carried out at 0 °C. Ni[1,3‐(CF₃)₂‐acac]₂ generated PMMA with high syndiotacticity. The NiR(acac)(PPh₃) complexes (R = Me or Et) revealed high selectivity in the polymerization of isoprene that produced 1,2‐/3,4‐polymer at 0 °C exclusively, whereas the polymerization at 60 °C resulted in the formation of cis‐1,4‐rich polymers. The polymerization of ethylene with Ni(1,3‐tBu₂‐acac)₂ and Ni[1,3‐(CF₃)₂‐acac]₂ generated oligo‐ethylene with moderate catalytic activity, whereas the reaction of ethylene with Ni(acac)₂/MMAO produced high molecular weight polyethylene. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4764–4775, 2000     

Relative kinetics of the radical addition of benzyl bromide to unsaturated compounds

The relative rate constants of the addition of the C₆H₅CH₂ radical to unsaturated compounds CH₂=CHX (X = C₄H₉, SiMe₃, CF₃, CO₂Me, CN) were determined under the conditions of initiation by the Fe(CO)₅ + DMF system or by benzoyl peroxide. Depending on the values of the relative addition rate constants, the monomers can be arranged into the following series (X): CF₃C₄H₉32Me5 + DMF system, the addition stage proceeds by a free radical mechanism.A. N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Heteroorganic Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117813 Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 2017–2022, September, 1992.     

Bucky ferrocene and ruthenocene: serendipity and discoveries

An idea of making a ferrocene/fullerene hybrid, “bucky ferrocene”, has intrigued chemists for some time, but the compounds remained to be hypothetical. The synthesis of such hybrid molecules as Fe(C₆₀Me₅)Cp, Ru(C₆₀Me₅)Cp and Fe(C₇₀Me₃)Cp as well as their functionalized derivatives from [60] and [70]fullerenes has been achieved in recent years. With their esthetically pleasing structures and the dual character of metallocene and graphite, these molecules may stimulate the interest of both chemists and non-chemists.     

Synthesis and properties of poly‐1‐olefins

The oligomerization and polymerization of 1‐pentene using Cp₂ZrCl₂, Cp₂HfCl₂, [(CH₃)₅C₅]₂ZrCl₂, rac‐[C₂H₄(Ind)₂]ZrCl₂, [(CH₃)₂Si(Ind)₂]ZrCl₂, (CH₃)₂Si(2‐methylbenz[e]indenyl)₂ZrCl₂, Cp₂ZrCl{O(Me)CW(CO)₅}, Cp₂ZrCl(OMe) and methylaluminoxane (MAO) has been studied. The degree of polymerization was highly dependent on the metallocene catalyst. Oligomers ranging from the dimer of 1‐pentene to polymers of poly‐1‐pentene with a molar mass M_w = 149000 g/mol were formed. Cp₂ZrCl{O(Me)CW(CO)₅} is a new highly active catalyst for the oligomerization of 1‐pentene to low molecular weight products. The activity decreases in the order Cp₂ZrCl{O(Me)CW(CO)₅} > Cp₂ZrCl₂ > Cp₂ZrCl(OMe). Furthermore, poly‐1‐olefins ranging from poly‐1‐pentene to poly‐1‐octadecene were synthesized with (CH₃)₂Si(2‐methyl‐benz[e]indenyl)₂ZrCl₂ and methylaluminoxane (MAO) at different temperatures. The temperature dependence of the molar mass can be described by a common exponential decay function irrespective of the investigated monomer.     

Unusual features of ethylene copolymerization reactions with binary metallocene catalysts

Ethylene/1-hexene copolymers produced with MAO-activated binary metallocene catalysts, such as combinations Cp₂ZrCl₂ + (Me₅Cp)₂ZrCl₂, (Ind-H₄)₂ZrCl₂ + (Me₅Cp)₂ZrCl₂, Cp₂ZrCl₂ + Cp₂TiCl₂, etc., contain three types of components. Two of the components can be attributed to active centers derived from each individual metallocene complex, and one or two materials are produced with different types of active center. Some of the binary catalysts generate the three components in comparable proportions, whereas other catalysts produce copolymers with one dominant component, which does not resemble the copolymers produced with the individual complexes. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of the “new” copolymer materials.     

Electronic Structure and Magnetic Anisotropy of an Unsaturated Cyclopentadienyl Iron(I) Complex with 15 Valence Electrons

The 15 valence-electron iron(I) complex [Cp^ArFe(IiPr₂Me₂)] ( 1 , Cp^Ar=C₅(C₆H₄-4-Et)₅; IiPr₂Me₂=1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene) was synthesized in high yield from the Fe^II precursor [Cp^ArFe(μ-Br)]₂. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopic data, magnetic measurements, and ab initio ligand-field calculations indicate an S= 3/2 ground state with a large negative zero-field splitting. As a consequence, 1 features magnetic anisotropy with an effective spin-reversal barrier of U_eff=64 cm⁻¹. Moreover, 1 catalyzes the dehydrogenation of N,N-dimethylamine–borane, affording tetramethyl-1,3-diaza-2,4-diboretane under mild conditions.     

Density functional theory study of the interaction of CP2*ZrCH 3+ (Cp* = C5H5, C5Me5, and C13H9) with ethylene molecule

Density functional theory was used to study gas-phase reactions between the Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ cations, where Cp* = C₅H₅ (1), Me₅Cp = C₅Me₅ (2), and Flu = C₁₃H₉ (3), and the ethylene molecule, Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ + C₂H₄ → Cp₂*ZrPr⁺ → Cp₂*ZrAllyl⁺ + H₂. The reactivity of the Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ cations with respect to the ethylene molecule decreased in the series 1 > 3 ≈ 2. Substitution in the Cp ring decreased the reactivity of the Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ cations toward ethylene, in agreement with the experimental data on the comparative reactivities of complexes 1 and 3. The two main energy barriers along the reaction path (the formation of the C-C bond leading to the primary product Cp₂*ZrPr⁺ and hydride shift leading to the secondary product Cp₂*Zr(H₂)Allyl⁺) vary in opposite directions in the series of the compounds studied. For Flu (3), these barriers are close to each other, and for the other compounds, the formation of the C-C bond requires the overcoming of a higher energy barrier. A comparison of the results obtained with the data on the activity of zirconocene catalysts in real catalytic systems for the polymerization of ethylene led us to conclude that the properties of the catalytic center changed drastically in the passage from the model reaction in the gas phase to real catalytic systems.     

Synthesis and properties of dicyclopentadienyltantalum(III) carbonyl compounds

Reaction of Cp₂Ta(H)L (L = C₃H₆, C₄H₈, C₅H₁₀ and C₅H₈) with CO under mild conditions gives alkyltantalum carbonyl complexes Cp₂Ta(CO)R (R = C₃H₇, C₄H₉, C₅H₁₁ and C₅H₉, respectively). Depending upon the position of the olefin relative to the hydride ligand in the hydride-olefin complex, Cp₂Ta(CO)H is also formed during the carbonylation reaction. Reduction of Cp₂TaCl₂ by potassium or t-BuMgCl under one atmosphere of CO affords the very stable compound Cp₂Ta(CO)Cl in moderate yields. Reaction of Cp₂Ta(CO)Cl with RLi or RMgX does not give the Cp₂Ta(CO)R complex.     

Lanthanide borohydrido complexes for MMA polymerization: syndio‐ vs iso‐ stereocontrol

This paper presents an extensive study of the polymerization of MMA with borohydrido lanthanide complexes for the first time. Catalytic systems are made from a lanthanide derivative bearing zero one, or two bulky ligands: substituted cyclopentadienyl (Cp^*′ = C₅Me₄nPr, Cp⁴ⁱ = C₅HiPr₄, Cp^Ph3 = H₂C₅Ph₃‐1,2,4), and/or diketiminate ([(p‐tol)NN] = [(p‐CH₃C₆H₄)N(CH₃)C]₂CH), in the presence of variable quantities of alkylating agent. With BuLi in apolar medium, highly isotactic polymer (up to 95.6%) is formed. In THF, syndiotactic‐rich PMMA is obtained whatever the nature of the co‐catalyst (BuLi or MgⁿBu₂). The presence of an electron‐withdrawing ligand such as Cp^Ph3 allows high syndioregularity, up to 81.8% at 0 °C, together with the highest conversion. There is quite good concordance between calculated and experimental molecular data in THF. Divalent Cp^*′₂Sm^II(THF) and (Cp^Ph3)₂Sm^II(THF) are active as single‐component initiators; the former affords PMMA 88% syndiotactic at 0 °C. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The analysis of the near IR of some organic and organometallic compounds by photoacoustic spectroscopy

The photoacoustic spectrum (PAS) was measured in the near IR region (1000 to 2600 nm) for organic compounds (C₆H₆, C₆D₆, C₇H₈, and C₆H₁₂) and organometallic compounds (Cp₂Fe, Cp₂Fe₂(CO)₄, Cp₄Fe₄(CO)₄, Cp₄Fe₄S₄, C₆H₆Cr(CO)₃, CpCo(C₄Ph₄) and CpCo(CO)₂). Band assignments were made by comparison to the infrared spectra. The bands were assigned as the CH overtone stretch and combinations of CH and other IR fundamentals. These bands provide fingerprint spectra for these compounds.     

Half-lanthanidocenes catalysts via the “borohydride/alkyl” route: A simple approach of ligand screening for the controlled polymerization of styrene

The “borohydride/alkyl” (B/A) route initially reported for isoprene has been applied successfully to the polymerization of styrene. This method provides via an in situ approach an interesting tool for the assessment of the influence of a ligand on the performance of half-lanthanidocene catalysts. All systems lead to well-controlled oligomerization/polymerization processes. This method is thus a convenient tool for the controlled polymerization of styrene starting from a common trisborohydride precursor and commercial ligands. The influence of the nature of several ligands on the activity could be established, with trends corresponding to those obtained starting from the isolated precursors: HCpHCp^Ph₃>HCp^*(Cp=C₅H₅,Cp^Ph₃=1,2,4-Ph₃C₅H₂,Cp^*=C₅Me₅). These results suggest an influence of the electron donating ability of the ligand rather than steric requirements.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Multiferrocenyl‐Substituted Group 4 Metallocene Complexes

The reaction of different metallocene fragments [Cp₂M] (Cp=η⁵‐cyclopentadienyl, M=Ti, Zr) with diferrocenylacetylene and 1,4‐diferrocenylbuta‐1,3‐diyne is described. The titanocene complexes form the highly strained three‐ and five‐membered ring systems [Cp₂Ti(η²‐FcC₂Fc)] ( 1 ) and [Cp₂Ti(η⁴‐FcC₄Fc)] ( 2 ) (Fc=[Fe(η⁵‐C₅H₄)(η⁵‐C₅H₅)]) by addition of the appropriate alkyne or diyne to Cp₂Ti. Zirconocene precursors react with diferrocenyl‐ and ferrocenylphenylacetylene under C? C bond coupling to yield the metallacyclopentadienes [Cp₂Zr(C₄Fc₄)] ( 3 ) and [Cp₂Zr(C₄Fc₂Ph₂)] ( 5 ), respectively. The exchange of the zirconocene unit in 3 by hydrogen atoms opens the route to the super‐crowded ferrocenyl‐substituted compound tetraferrocenylbutadiene ( 4 ). On the other hand, the reaction of 1,4‐diferrocenylbuta‐1,3‐diyne with zirconocene complexes afforded a cleavage of the central C? C bond, and thus, dinuclear [{Cp₂Zr(μ‐η¹:η²‐C?CFc)}₂] ( 6 ) that consists of two zirconocene acetylide groups was formed. Most of the complexes were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography, showing attractive multinuclear molecules. The redox properties of 3 , 5 , and 6 were studied by cyclic voltammetry. Upon oxidation to 3 ⁿ⁺, 5 ⁿ⁺, and 6 ⁿ⁺ (n=1–3), decomposition occured with in situ formation of new species. The follow‐up products from 3 and 5 possess two or four reversible redox events pointing to butadiene‐based molecules. However, the dinuclear complex 6 afforded ethynylferrocene under the measurement conditions.     

Synthesis and properties of dicyclopentadienyltantalum hydride olefin compounds

Reactions of Cp₂TaCl₂ with RMgCl (R = n-C₃H₇, i-C₃H₇, n-C₄H₉, s-C₄H₉, n-C₅H₁₁ and C₅H₉) give tantalum hydride π-olefin complexes Cp₂Ta(H)L (L = C₃H₆, C₄H₈, C₅H₁₀ and C₅H₈). Two isomers of Cp₂Ta(H)C₃H₆ were obtained. The complexes are useful starting materials for the synthesis of other tantalum hydride species, e.g. Cp₂Ta(H)PEt₃ and Cp₂TaH₃.