Cyclo- and cyclized diene polymers. XVI. Nature of the active species and a proposed mechanism of cyclopolymerization of isoprene with catalysts containing ethylaluminum halides

The polymerization of isoprene with C₂H₅AlCl₂ to yield solid cyclopolyisoprene is markedly accelerated by the addition of TiCl₄. The polymer yield passes through a maximum on increasing the catalyst reaction time with or without monomer present. The active species are probably cations formed by dissociation of the reaction product of C₂H₅AlCl₂ and TiCl₄. The polymerization of isoprene with (C₂H₅)₂AlX–TiCl₄ (X = F, Br, Cl) has maximum activity at an Al/Ti mole ratio of 0.75 corresponding to conversion of R₂AlX to RAIX₂ which then reacts with remaining TiCl₄. A proposed mechanism of cyclopolymerization of conjugated dienes involves monomer activation, i.e., conversion to cation radical by one-electron transfer to catalyst cation which is itself neutralized, addition of cation end of monomer cation radical to terminal or internal unsaturation of fused cyclohexane polymer chain, one-electron transfer from “neutral” catalyst to cation on polymer chain which is then transformed to a diradical which undergoes coupling to form a cyclohexene ring. The mechanism of the “living” polymerization involves addition of catalyst-activated monomer to a “dead” polymer with a terminal cyclohexene ring and regeneration of the active catalyst.     

Nitrogen fixation: Part I. Electrochemical reduction of titanium compounds in the presence of catechol and N2 in MeOH or THF

The cyclic voltammetry of Cp₂TiCl₂ was studied in both MeOH and THF, at either glassy carbon or platinum electrodes. The effect of catechol added, as a complexation agent, on the shape of the voltammograms is also described. Controlled potential electrolysis (CPE) was employed to reduce CP₂TiCl₂ under an N₂ atmosphere in the presence of catechol. Ammonia was formed in low chemical yields (up to 0.11%), but selectively. The reduction was also investigated in the presence of a base (MeONa) and divalent cation (Mg²⁺). The ammonia yield increased to 0.65% and 1.45%, respectively. Other titanium compounds ((acac)₂TiCl₂, (i-PrO)₄Ti, TiCl₄, TiCl₃) were reduced under similar conditions and found to be less efficient for N₂ reduction than Cp₂TiCl₂.     

Living carbocationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether and the synthesis of poly[isobutylene-b-(isobutyl vinyl ether)]

The MeCH(O-i-Bu)Cl/TiCl₄/MeCONMe₂ initiating system was found to induce the rapid living carbocationic polymerization (LC^⊕Pzn) of isobutyl vinyl ether (IBuVE) at ?100°C. Degradation by dealcoholation which usually accompanies the polymerization of alkyl vinyl ethers by strong Lewis acids is “frozen out” at this low temperature and poly(isobutyl vinyl ether)s (PIBuVEs) with theoretical molecular weights up to ca. 40,000 g/mol (calculated from the initiator/monomer input) and narrow molecular weight distributions (M?_w/M?_n ≤ 1.2) are readily obtained. According to ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, PIBuVEs prepared by living polymerization at ?100°C are not stereoregular. The MeCH(O-i-Bu)Cl/TiCl₄ combination induces the rapid LC^⊕Pzn of IBuVE even in the absence of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA). The addition of the common ion salt, n-Bu₄NCl to the latter system retards the polymerization and meaningful kinetic information can be obtained. The kinetic findings have been explained in terms of TiCl₄. IBuVE and TiCl₄ · IBuVE and TiCl₄ · PIBuVE complexes. The HCl (formal initiator)/TiCl₄/DMA combination is the first initiating system that can be regarded to induce the LC^⊕Pzn of both isobutylene (IB) and IBuVE. Polyisobutylene (PIB)–PIBuVE diblocks were prepared by sequential monomer addition in “one pot” by the 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane (TMP-Cl)/TiCl₄/DMA initiating system. Crossover efficiencies are, however, below 35% because the PIB^⊕ + IBuVE → PIB-b-PIBuVE^⊕ crossover is slow. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Selective vinyl polymerization of 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene with ziegler–natta catalyst

The polymerization of 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene (4VCHE) with Ziegler–Natta catalysts was studied. The polymerization of 4VCHE by the vinyl group took place with TiCl₃–aluminum alkyls catalysts, while vinylene group of 4VCHE did not participate in the reaction, but it affected the polymerization rate of 4VCHE. The effects of aluminum alkyl and type of TiCl₃ on the polymerization were examined. The overall activation energy for the polymerization was estimated to be 41.9kJ/mol. Monomer-isomerization copolymerization of 4VCHE and trans-2-butene occurred with the TiCl₃-(i-C₄H₉)₃Al catalyst to give copolymers consisting of 4VCHE and 1-butene units.     

Molecular structure of polyethylene obtained in the presence of organic magnesium compounds

The molecular structure of polyethylene obtained by the system TiCl₄-Et₂AlCl-Ph₂Mg was investigated. The polymer has a linear structure with a minimum amount of branching. The unsaturation is caused by the presence of one terminal vinyl group: this is due to the character of termination reactions. The polymer has a narrow molecular weight distribution; the content of low molecular weight products is lower than in polyethylene obtained with the TiCl₄ Et₂AlCl system and a high molecular weight tail is absent. The system containing a small amount of Ph₂Mg (a “modified” system) is more similar in activity, just as in the structure of the resulting polymer, to the TiCl₄-Et₂AlCl system. These phenomena might be related to different valent states of titanium at different Ph₂Mg/TiCl₄ molar ratios and to possible absence or presence of active centres of different valence.     

On the paradox of TiCl4 reducing power: pinacol coupling and two-carbon homologation of carbonyl compounds

TiCl₄/DIPEA/CH₂Cl₂ reducing system promotes pinacol coupling and/or reduction to alcohol of aromatic aldehydes and carbonyl compounds activated towards reduction by an electron withdrawing group. In addition, bis homologation of these substrates is observed. An inner-sphere electron transfer from TiCl₄ to DIPEA accounts for the products distribution.     

MALDI‐TOF‐MS analysis of living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. III. Polymerization with SnCl4 and TiCl4 in the absence of additives

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the precision control (or the living nature) of the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with SnCl₄ or TiCl₄ critically depends on the Lewis acid concentration and temperature. Specifically, at an extremely low Lewis acid concentration, for example, the polymerization with the HCl–vinyl ether adduct (an initiator) is living at ?78 °C in CH₂Cl₂ solvent, whereas side reactions occurred at a higher concentration of SnCl₄ or at a higher temperature, ?15 °C. This was more pronounced with SnCl₄ than with TiCl₄, which was due to a stronger Lewis acidity of SnCl₄ as suggested by NMR analysis of the model reactions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1258–1267, 2001     

Titanium-based lewis acids for living cationic polymerizations of vinyl ethers and styrene: Control of lewis acidity in design of initiating systems

This brief account discusses the development of HCl/TiCl_4-n(OR)_n (n = 1–4), the titanium-based new initiating systems for living cationic polymerizations of vinyl ethers and styrene. The focus of this development is controlling the Lewis acidity of the metal halide components [TiCl_4-n(OR)_n] or “activators” in relation to the structure of the monomers. Thus, for vinyl ethers, relatively mild Lewis acids such as TiCl(OiPr)₃ and TiCl₂(OiPr)₂ are effective, whereas for styrene, a stronger Lewis acid such as TiCl₃(OiPr) is employed along with an added salt (nBu₄N⁺Cl⁻). In both cases, living polymers of controlled molecular weights can be obtained in methylene chloride solvent at −15°C.     

A New Entry of Practical and Chemoselective Iodocarbenoids for Carbonyl Iodomethylenation

Direct oxidative addition of CHI₃ to the Mg‐TiCl₄ bimetallic species resulted in the generation of a highly chemoselective and practically convenient iodomethylenetitanium complex, which efficiently effected condensation even with enolizable or inert carbonyl compounds, such as sterically congested ketones, to provide vinyl iodide compounds     

Olefin polymerization with titanium tetrachloride catalysts supported on surface-modified silica

After modification of silica with benzoyl chloride (BC) to obtain BC-modified SiO₂ (BC-SiO₂), BC-SiO₂/TiCl₄ and BC-SiO₂/BEM/TiCl₄ catalysts were prepared by treating the BC-SiO₂ with TiCl₄ directly or with butylethylmagnesium (BEM) followed by TiCl₄, respectively. During the modification, BC reacts with hydroxyl groups of silica. In this way the corresponding ester is anchored on the silica surface and the CO group is coordinated with Ti and/or Mg. In addition, BEM is converted to MgCl₂ in the reaction with TiCl₄. These catalysts have reasonable activities for ethylene or propene polymerization.     

Stereochemistry and mechanism of acylation of acetylenes

The addition of acid chloride-AlCl₃ complexes and of acyl triflates to several acetylenes has been performed. Evidence is given that these additions occur at least partly through a vinyl cation intermediate. In the case of aroyl chlorides or aroyl triflates the intermediate vinyl cation can be attacked by the aromatic nucleus of the aroyl group, leading to the formation of indenones. The difference in behaviour between aroyl chloride-AlCl₃ complexes and aroyl triflates is explained by the hardness of the triflate anion as a nucleophile, compared to the tetrachloraluminate anion. Further evidence for the intermediate vinyl cation is found in the formation of rearranged products in the addition of 3,5 dimethoxybenzoyl chloride-AlCl₃ complex and benzoyl triflate to 4,4-dimethyl-2-pentyne.     

(CH3)3SiCl/TiCl4 INITIATING SYSTEM FOR CATIONIC POLYMERIZATION OF 1,3-PENTADIENE

Cationic polymerizations of 1,3-pentadiene (PD) initiated by trimethylsilyl chloride (TMSCl) incombination with TiCl_4 were carried out in n-hexane at 30℃. The yield of polymer was greatly increased bythe addition of TMSCl, indicating that the TMSCl/TiCl_4 combination is an efficient initiating system for PDcationic polymerization. However, the introduction of TMSCl gave rise to a drop in the molecular weight ofthe polymer. Kinetic results demonstrated that the polymerization initiated by TMSCl/TiCl_4 is 4.5 times fasterthan that induced by TiCl_4 alone. Various ethers were used to mediate the TMSCl/TiCl_4 initiating system.Adding diphenyl ether could increase both the yield and molecular weight of the polymer. Structural evidenceillustrates that the polymerization is indeed initiated by TiCl_4 in combination with HCl resulting fromhydrolysis by adventitious water.     

Preparation of Polymers with Viologen Moieties and Their Application to the Selective Reduction of Substituted Nitroarenes

Abstract

Polymers with viologen moieties were synthesized by using poly-chlorethyl vinyl ether (PCEVE) as mother supports. These polymers were used as electron-transfer catalysts (ETC) for the reduction of substituted nitroarenes under heterophase conditions (reductant: Na₂S₂O₄ in CH₂CI₂-H₂O). The experimental results show that the substituted nitroarenes were reduced selectively and efficiently to the corresponding aniline derivatives in the presence of viologen polymers. The catalytic active species of viologen were detected by ESR and electrochemical methods. It was found that the viologen cation radical (V⁺) acts as the active species during the viologen-mediated reduction of substituted nitroarenes.     

Polymerization of vinyl chloride catalyzed by a titanium complex with an anionic oxygen tripod ligand

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was prepared using a titanium complex with an anionic oxygen tripod ligand [CpCo{P(O)(OEt)₂}₃]⁻ () as catalyst and methyl aluminoxane (MAO) as cocatalyst. The polymerization behavior was compared with that of pentamethyl cyclopentadienyl titanium trichloride (Me₅CpTiCl₃). It is observed that L_OEtTiCl₃ can polymerize vinyl chloride with activity comparable to that of Me₅CpTiCl₃. The PVC samples prepared with L_OEtTiCl₃/MAO exhibit bimodal molecular weight distribution and the fraction of high molecular weight peak decreases with polymerization temperature. The microstructure and thermal decomposition of the PVC obtained were studied. Five types of structural defect were detected by ¹H-NMR. Only saturated structural defects are found at low polymerization temperature, but at high polymerization temperature unsaturated structural defects, possibly resulting from dehydrochlorination of the saturated structural defects, appear as well. No head-to-head structural defect is observed. ¹³C-NMR shows that the PVC prepared by L_OEtTiCl₃ has an atactic stereostructure. Compared with the PVC from radical polymerization and anionic polymerization, the PVC samples prepared with L_OEtTiCl₃ show improved thermal stability.     

Synthese,Kristallstruktur und Magnetismus von Natriumtetrachlorotitanat(II), Na2TiCl4

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Magnetism of Sodium Tetrachlorotitanate(II), Na₂TiCl₄ Na₂TiCl₄ is obtained as single crystals by metallothermic reduction of TiCl₃ with sodium (525°C, 90 d, Ta container). Pure powder samples may be prepared by synproportionation of TiCl₃ with Ti in the presence of NaCl (950–520°C, 21 d). The structure refinement from four-circle diffractometer data confirms that Na₂TiCl₄ is isotypic with Sr₂PbO₄ (orthorhombic, space group Pbam (No. 55), Z = 2 a = 694.2(1), b = 1 198.9(2), c = 385.6(1) pm, R = 0.055, R_w = 0,038). Ti²⁺ is surrounded by a distorted octahedron of Cl^?. The octahedra are connected via common edges to chains, [TiCl_2/1Cl_4/2]^2?, that run in the [001] direction. Magnetic susceptibility data were recorded in the 2 to 300 K temperature range at various field strengths. The interpretation of the data was carried out with the aid of crystal-field calculations taking magnetic interactions into account. The non-Curie behaviour of the reciprocal magnetic susceptibility of Ti²⁺ in Na₂TiCl₄ is due to the influence of spin-obit coupling.     

THE BAYLIS—HILLMAN REACTION: TiCl4 MEDIATED COUPLING OF ALKYL VINYL KETONES WITH α-KETO ESTERS AND ALDEHYDES

TiCl₄ mediated coupling of alkyl vinyl ketones with α-keto esters and aldehydes provides respectively 2-aryl-2-hydroxy-3-methylene-4-oxoalkanoates and (Z)-keto allyl chlorides in 1 h time at room temperature. Similar coupling of trifluoromethyl phenyl ketone with methyl vinyl ketone produces 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-hydroxy-2-phenyl-3-methylenepentan-4-one.     

New epoxide initiators for the controlled synthesis of functionalized polyisobutylenes

The mechanism of initiation was investigated in isobutylene (IB) polymerizations initiated by epoxidized α‐methylstyrene (MSE) and 1,2‐epoxy‐2,4,4‐trimethylpentane (TMPO) in conjunction with TiCl₄. The proposed mechanism predicts primary OH head groups and tertiary Cl end groups in the PIB. Model studies conducted with MSE/TiCl₄ and diisobutylene lead to ring closure yielding a substituted furanyl structure. Real‐time fiber‐optic refractive index monitoring was used to follow the initiation with the TMPO/TiCl₄ system. It was found that the cleavage of TMPO proceeds simultaneously by S_N1 and S_N2 mechanisms as proposed. The carbocation forming by the S_N1 route is proposed to initiate the polymerization of IB, but it was shown that excess TiCl₄ relative to TMPO was necessary for propagation. Isomerization and polyether formation by the S_N2 pathway lead to side reactions, reducing the initiating efficiency.     

Polymerization of isoprene initiated by the reaction products of zirconium allylic complexes and titanium chlorides

Reaction of (all)₄Zr with TiCl₄ involves the migration of the allyl ligands to titanium which is accompanied by the reduction of titanium to a tri- and divalent state and the formation of diallyl. The reaction products are found to initiate polymerization and oligomerization of isoprene. The course of the isoprene reactions and the properties of the resulting polymers are determined by the nature of the complexes formed. The reaction products of TiCl₄ or TiCl₃ with (all)₂ZrCl₂ initiate cationic polymerization of isoprene. Complexes resulting from the reaction of TiCl₃ with (all)₄Zr or (all)₃ZrCl lead to cis-1,4-polyisoprene.     

Vinyl Triflimides—A Case of Assisted Vinyl Cation Formation

A new concept for selectivity control in carbocation‐driven reactions has been identified which allows for the chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselective addition of nucleophiles to alkynes—assisted vinyl cation formation—enabled by a Li⁺‐based supramolecular framework. Mechanistic analysis of a model complex (Li₂NTf₂⁺?3 H₂O) confirms that solely the formation of a complex between the incoming nucleophile and the transition state of the alkyne protonation is responsible for the resulting selective N addition to the vinyl cation. Into the bargain, a general, operationally simple synthetic procedure to previously inaccessible vinyl triflimides is provided.     

Vinyl-functionalized imidazolium ionic liquids as new electrolyte additives for high-voltage Li-ion batteries

Four functionalized ionic liquids based on imidazolium cations with vinyl or alllyl group and TFSI^? anion were synthesized as electrolyte additives for high-voltage Li-ion battery to stabilize carbonate-based electrolytes on the surface of 5 V class cathode materials. The electrochemical behaviors and surface morphology of LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ cathode had been investigated by cyclic voltammetry, charge–discharge test, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Cycle life and rate performance of the Li/LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ cells containing 1.2 M LiPF₆ in ethylene carbonate/ethyl methyl carbonate can be improved by adding 1-allyl-3-vinyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide ([AVIm][TFSI]). The addition of 3 wt.% [AVIm][TFSI] results in high discharge capacity of above 130 mAh g^?1. Surface analysis of the cathode material (XPS and SEM) suggested that a stable and compact polymer film was formed on the LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ cathode by electroinitiated polymerization of imidazolium cation with vinyl and allyl group.