Advances in late transition metal catalysts for olefin polymerization/oligomerizarion

In this review article, we have consolidated our recent studies on late transition metal catalysts (mainly Fe, Co) for olefin polymerization/oligomerization. A series of bisiminopyridyl Co(II) and Fe(II) complexes were synthesized. These catalysts when activated with MAO in aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, oligomerize or polymerize ethylene to α-olefins or high molecular weight polymers with exceptionally high activities and selectivities. The electronic and steric effects of allyloxy and benzyloxy substituted bisiminopyridyl Fe(II) and Co(II) complexes were also investigated. The influence of catalyst structure and temperature on the polymerization activity, thermal properties and molecular weight were discussed. The effects of heterogenization of these catalysts on silica and modified SBA-15 were analyzed. The polymerization of polar monomers such as vinyl ethers and methyl methacrylate was tested and no specific trends in activity and polymer molecular weight with changes in steric bulkiness around the metal center were observed with the same catalyst system.     

Selective double Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. Synthesis of unsymmetrical diaryl (or heteroaryl) methanes

Using a double Suzuki cross-coupling reaction ortho- or para-bromobenzyl bromides are easily transformed into unsymmetrical diaryl (or heteroaryl) methanes     

On a new calcium vanadate: synthesis, structure and Li insertion behavior

A synthetic form of the mineral hewettite was prepared via a new route in aqueous medium, starting either from the crystalline compound Li_1.1V₃O₈, or from its amorphous precursor. The anhydrous, crystalline derivative Ca_0.5V₃O₈ was obtained by heating the synthetic hewettite at 250°C under dynamic vacuum. The diffraction studies show that the 2D structure of Ca_0.5V₃O₈ involves the same V₃O₈ layers as in the hewettite or in Li_1+αV₃O₈. The stacking of the layers is similar to that in the metahewettite. A structural model is proposed, where the Ca²⁺ ions occupy octahedral sites in the interlayer space. The electrochemical behavior of Ca_0.5V₃O₈ vs. lithium insertion is presented. It is original and reveals particularly good performances in terms of stability during cycling at C/5 rate. The homologues obtained with Mg or Ba, instead of Ca, are briefly presented.     

Application of polymer-supported triphenyl phosphine in the palladium-catalyzed cyanation reaction under microwave conditions

A variety of aryl nitriles were prepared in excellent yields from the palladium acetate catalyzed coupling of aryl halides with Zn(CN)₂ using polymer-supported triphenyl phosphine as the ligand and dimethylformamide as solvent under microwave irradiation conditions.     

Performance of various activators in ethylene polymerization based on an iron(II) catalyst system

Ethylisobutylaluminoxane (EBAO) and its analogues were synthesized by a reaction between an triethylaluminum (Et₃Al)/triisobutylaluminum (i‐Bu₃Al) mixture and 4‐fluorobenzeneboronic acid, phenylboronic acid, or n‐butaneboronic acid and subsequent hydrolysis with water. They were used as cocatalysts in ethylene polymerization catalyzed by an iron complex {[(ArN?C(Me))₂C₅H₃N]FeCl₂, where Ar is 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl}. Polyethylene with a high molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution was prepared with modified EBAOs, and the performance of the iron complex at high polymerization temperatures was greatly improved. The activators for the iron complex also affected the polymerization activity and the molecular weight of the resultant polyethylene. It was suggested that the stereo and electronic effects of the substitute groups of aluminoxane contributed to the improved performance of the new activators. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1093–1099, 2004     

Synthesis and characterization of well‐defined diblock and triblock copolymers of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) and poly(ethylene oxide)

Well‐defined diblock and triblock copolymers composed of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were successfully synthesized through the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) with PEO capped with one or two dithiobenzoyl groups as a macrotransfer agent. ¹H NMR, Fourier transform infrared, and gel permeation chromatography instruments were used to characterize the block copolymers obtained. The results showed that the diblock and triblock copolymers had well‐defined structures and narrow molecular weight distributions (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight < 1.2), and the molecular weight of the PNIPAM block in the diblock and triblock copolymers could be controlled by the initial molar ratio of NIPAM to dithiobenzoate‐terminated PEO and the NIPAM conversion. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4873–4881, 2004     

Studies of photooxidative degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(ethylene oxide) blends

The photooxidative degradation of blends (in a full range of compositions) of amorphous poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with semicrystalline poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in the form of thin films is investigated using absorption spectroscopy (UV–visible and Fourier transform infrared) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The amount of insoluble gel formed as a result of photocrosslinking is estimated gravimetrically. It is found that the PVC/PEO blendsí susceptibility to photooxidative degradation differs from that pure of the components and depends on the blend composition and morphology. Photoreactions such as degradation and oxidation are accelerated whereas dehydrochlorination is retarded in blends. The photocrosslinking efficiency in PVC/PEO blends is higher than in PVC; moreover, PEO is also involved in this process. AFM images showing the lamellar structure of semicrystalline PEO in the blend lead to the conclusion that the presence of PVC does not disturb the crystallization process of PEO. The changes induced by UV irradiation allow the observation of more of the distinct PEO crystallites. This is probably caused by recrystallization of short, more mobile chains in degraded PEO or by partial removal of the less stable amorphous phase from the film surface. These results confirm previous information on the miscibility of PVC with PEO. The mechanism of the interactions between the components and the blend photodegradation are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 585–602, 2004     

Microcalorimetric Adsorption of Alumina Oxide Catalysts for Combination of Ethylbenzene dehydrogenation and carbon Dioxide Shift-reaction

Styrene (STY) is now produced industrially in fairly large quantities by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene (EB) using promoted iron oxide catalyst with superheated steam.In this case, small amount of carbon dioxide formed as a by-product was known to inhibit the catalytic activity of commercial catalyst. Recently, there have been some reports which carbon dioxide showed positive effects to promote catalytic activities on the reaction over several catalysts.In this study, we attempted to combine the dehydrogenation of EB to STY with the carbon dioxide shift-reaction. The combine reaction (EB + CO2 → STY + H2O + CO) can be considered as one of the ways of using CO2 resources and can yield simultaneously STY and Carbon oxide.Alumina oxide catalysts such as Al2O3, Na2O/Al2O3 and K2O/Al2O3 were prepared by the usual impregnation method with an aqueous solution of NaNO3 and KNO3, and then calcined at 650℃ for 5 h in a stream of air. The reaction condition is 600℃, flow of CO2 38ml/mon and space velocity (EB) 1.28h-1.     

Novel Chiral Ferrocenyl Aziridino Alcohol Catalysts Promoting Asymmetric Addition of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes

Optically active aziridino alcohols containing ferrocenyl groups were prepared from commercially available L-threonine in excellent yields and used as catalysts to promote the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aryaldehydes to afford 1-arylpropanol in up to 84% enantiomeric excesses with moderate to good yields.     

Synthesis of new terpene derivatives via ruthenium catalysis: rearrangement of silylated enynes derived from terpenoids

Enyne rearrangement of silylated modified terpenoids has been used as the key step for the synthesis of new terpenes and terpenoids. The catalytic system generated in situ from [RuCl₂(p-cymene]₂, 1,3-bis(mesityl)imidazolinium chloride and cesium carbonate is able to perform the transformation of silylated 1,7-enynes into cyclic siloxanes. Selective cleavage of the silicon-carbon and silicon-oxygen bonds by simple reactions has been performed to afford new terpenes and terpenoids by formal addition of a C5 unit.