1‐(2,6‐dibenzhydryl‐4‐fluorophenylimino)‐2‐aryliminoacenaphthylylnickel halides highly polymerizing ethylene for the polyethylenes with high branches and molecular weights

A series of 1‐(2,6‐dibenzhydryl‐4‐fluorophenylimino)‐ 2‐aryliminoacenaphthylene derivatives ( L1–L5 ) and their halonickel complexes LNiX₂ (X = Br, Ni1–Ni5 ; X = Cl, Ni6–Ni10 ) are synthesized and well characterized. The molecular structures of representative complexes Ni2 and Ni4 are confirmed as the distorted tetrahedron geometry around nickel atom by the single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Upon activation with methylaluminoxane, all nickel complexes show high activities up to 1.49 × 10⁷ g of PE (mol of Ni)^?1 h^?1 toward ethylene polymerization, producing polyethylenes with high branches and molecular weights up to 1.62 × 10⁶ g mol^?1 as well as narrow polydispersity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1369–1378     

Synthesis,characterization, and ethylene (Co)polymerization behavior of trichlorotitanium 2‐(1‐(arylimino)propyl)quinolin‐8‐olates

A series of trichlorotitanium complexes containing 2‐(1‐(arylimino)propyl)quinolin‐8‐olates was synthesized by stoichiometric reaction of titanium tetrachloride with the corresponding potassium 2‐(1‐(arylimino)propyl)quinolin‐8‐olates and was fully characterized by elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study of representative complexes. All titanium complexes, when activated with methylaluminoxane, exhibited high catalytic activity toward ethylene polymerization [up to 1.15 × 10⁶ g mol^?1(Ti) h^?1] and ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization [up to 1.54 × 10⁶ g mol^?1 (Ti) h^?1]. The incorporation of comonomer was confirmed to amount up to 2.82 mol % of 1‐hexene or 1.94 mol % of 1‐octene, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

C–C bridged Ni(II) complexes bearing β‐keto‐9‐fluorenyliminato ligands prepared by different in situ bonding mechanisms and their use in catalytic (co)polymerization of norbornene and styrene

Two C–C bridged Ni(II) complexes bearing β‐keto‐9‐fluorenyliminato ligands with electron‐withdrawing groups (─CF₃), Ni{PhC(O)CHC[N(9‐fluorenyl)]CF₂}₂ (Ni 1 ) and Ni{CF₃C(O)CHC[N(9‐fluorenyl)]Ph}₂ (Ni 2 ), were synthesized by metal coordination reaction and different in situ bonding mechanisms. The C–C bridged bonds of Ni 1 were formed by in situ intramolecular trifluoromethyl and 9‐fluorenyl carbon–carbon cross‐coupling reaction and those of Ni 2 were formed by in situ intramolecular 9‐fluorenyl carbon–carbon radical coupling reaction mechanism. The obtained complexes were characterized using ¹H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The crystal and molecular structures of Ni 1 and Ni 2 with C–C bridged configuration were determined using X‐ray diffraction. Ni 1 and Ni 2 were used as catalysts for norbornene (NB) polymerization after activation with B(C₆F₅)₃ and the catalytic activities reached 10⁶ g_polymer mol_Ni^?1 h^?1. The copolymerization of NB and styrene catalyzed by the Ni 1 /B(C₆F₅)₃ system showed high activity (10⁵ g_polymer mol_Ni^?1 h^?1) and the catalytic activities decreased with increasing feed content of styrene. All vinyl‐type copolymers exhibited high molecular weight (10⁴ g mol^?1), narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.71–2.80), high styrene insertion ratios (11.13–50.81%) and high thermal stability (T_d > 380°C) and could be made into thin films with high transparency in the visible region (400–800 nm).     

Highly branched and high‐molecular‐weight polyethylenes produced by 1‐[2,6‐bis(bis(4‐fluorophenyl)methyl)‐4‐MeOC6H2N]‐2‐aryliminoacenaphthylnickel(II) halides

A series of unsymmetrical 1‐[2,6‐bis(bis(4‐fluorophenyl)methyl)‐4‐MeOC₆H₂N]‐2‐aryliminoacenaphthene‐nickel(II) halides has been synthesized and fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR), ¹³C NMR, and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis. The structures of Ni1 and Ni6 have been confirmed by the single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. On activation with cocatalysts either ethylaluminum sesquichloride or methylaluminoxane, all the title nickel complexes display high activities toward ethylene polymerization up to 16.14 × 10⁶ g polyethylene (PE) mol^?1(Ni) h^?1 at 30 °C, affording PEs with both high branches (up to 103 branches/1000 carbons) and molecular weight (1.12 × 10⁶ g mol^?1) as well as narrow molecular weight distribution. High branching content of PE can be confirmed by high temperature ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. In addition, the PE exhibited remarkable property of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) with high tensile strength (σ_b = 21.7 MPa) and elongation at break (ε_b = 937%) as well as elastic recovery (up to 85%), indicating a better alternative to commercial TPEs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 130–145     

Thermo‐stable 2‐(arylimino)benzylidene‐9‐arylimino‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro cyclohepta[b]pyridyliron(II) precatalysts toward ethylene polymerization and highly linear polyethylenes

A series of 2‐(arylimino)benzylidene‐9‐arylimino‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydrocyclohepta[b] pyridyliron(II) chlorides was synthesized and characterized using FT‐IR and elemental analysis, and the molecular structures of complexes Fe3 and Fe4 have been confirmed by the single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction as a pseudo‐square‐pyramidal or distorted trigonal‐bipyramidal geometry around the iron core. On activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), all iron precatalysts exhibited high activities toward ethylene polymerization with a marvelous thermo‐stability and long lifetime. The Fe4 /MAO system showed highest activity of 1.56 × 10⁷ gPE·mol^?1(Fe)·h^?1 at 70 °C, which is one of the highest activities toward ethylene polymerization by iron precatalysts. Even up to 80 °C, Fe3 /MAO system still persist high activity as 6.87 × 10⁶ g(PE)·mol^?1(Fe)·h^?1, demonstrating remarkable thermal stability for industrial polymerizations (80–100 °C). This was mainly attributing to the phenyl modification of the framework of the iron precatalysts. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 830–842     

Judiciously balancing steric and electronic influences on 2,3‐diiminobutane‐based Pd(II) complexes in nourishing polyethylene properties

A new series of palladium complexes ( Pd1–Pd5 ) ligated by symmetrical 2,3‐diiminobutane derivatives, 2,3‐bis[2,6‐bis{bis(4‐FC₆H₄)₂CH}₂‐4‐(alkyl)C₆H₂N]C₄H₆ (alkyl = Me L1 , Et L2 , ⁱ Pr L3 , ^t Bu L4 ) and 2,3‐bis[2,6‐bis{bis(C₆H₅)₂CH}₂‐4‐{(CH₃)₃C}C₆H₂N]C₄H₆ L5 , have been prepared and well characterized, and their catalytic scope toward ethylene polymerization have been investigated. Upon activation with MAO, all palladium complexes ( Pd1–Pd5) exhibited good activities (up to 1.44 × 10⁶ g (PE) mol^?1(Pd) h^?1) and produced higher molecular weight polyethylene in the range of 10⁵ g mol^?1 with precise molecular weight distribution (M _w/M _n = 1.37–1.77). One of the long‐standing limiting features of the Brookhart type α‐diimine Pd(II) catalysts is that they produce highly branched (ca. 100/1000 C atoms) and totally amorphous polymer. Conversely, herein Pd5 produced polymers having dramatically lower branching number (28/1000) as well as improved melting temperature up to 73.1 °C showing well‐controlled linear architecture, and very similar to polyethylene materials generated by early‐transition‐metal based catalysts. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 3214–3222     

Structure and cytotoxicity of zinc (II) and cobalt (II) complexes based on 1,3,5‐tris(1‐imidazolyl) benzene

Three novel complexes, [Zn (tib)₂·(H₂O)₂]·(NO₃)₂ ( 1 ), [Co (tib)₂]·2NO₃ ( 2 ) and [Co₂(tib)₂(btc)]·H₂O ( 3 ) [H₄btc = 1,2,4,5‐benzenetetracarboxylic acid; H₂tib = 1,3,5‐tris(1‐imidazolyl)benzene], were synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray, IR and elemental analysis. The interaction of these complexes with FS‐DNA (fish sperm DNA) was monitored, and binding constants were determined using UV/Vis, which revealed that they have the ability to bind to FS‐DNA. DNA‐binding constants (K) for the three complexes were 2.2 × 10⁴ m ^?1, 0.7 × 10⁴ m ^?1 and 0.09 × 10⁴ m ^?1, respectively. The interaction capacity of the complexes with FS‐DNA has been investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Stern–Volmer quenching plot values for complexes 1 , 2 and 3 were 0.3784, 0.1028 and 0.076, respectively. The viscosity measurement suggested that complexes 1 , 2 and 3 interact with DNA in an intercalation mode. In addition, anti‐cancer activities of these complexes investigated through MTT assays in vitro indicated that the complexes showed good cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines. Cytotoxic activity of test complexes against two different cancer cell lines (HeLa and KB cells) showed significant cancer cell inhibition rates. Flow cytometry experiments and morphological apoptosis studies showed that the complexes induced apoptosis of HeLa tumor cell lines. Finally, a further molecular docking technique was employed to confirm the binding of the complexes toward the molecular target DNA.     

Activity and stability spontaneously enhanced toward ethylene polymerization by employing 2‐(1‐(2,4‐dibenzhydrylnaphthylimino)ethyl)‐6‐(1‐(arylimino)ethyl) pyridyliron(II) dichlorides

A series of 2‐(1‐(2,4‐dibenzhydrylnaphthylimino)ethyl)‐6‐(1‐(arylimino)ethyl)pyridyliron(II) complexes ( Fe1 ? Fe5 ) was synthesized and characterized. The molecular structure of the representative Fe2 was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, revealing a distorted pseudo‐square‐pyramidal geometry around the iron center. On activation with either methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), all these iron complex precatalysts performed with high activities (up to 1.58 × 10⁷ g (PE) mol^?1 (Fe) h^?1) toward ethylene polymerization, producing highly linear polyethylenes with high molecular weight and bimodal distribution, which was in accordance with high temperature ¹³C NMR, high T _m values (T _m ～130 °C) and the GPC curves of the obtained polyethylenes. Meanwhile, DFT calculation results also showed the good correlation between net charges on iron and experimental activities. Compared with previous bis(imino)pyridyliron analogues, the current iron complexes containing the benzhydrylnaphthyl groups exhibited relatively higher activities and better thermal‐stability at elevated temperatures, especially at 80 °C as the industrial operating temperature, and still showed high activities toward ethylene polymerization up to 8.57 × 10⁶ g (PE) mol^?1 (Fe) h^?1 in the presence of co‐catalyst MMAO. In addition, these iron complex precatalysts all exhibited long lifetimes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 988–996     

Ni(II) and Pd(II) complexes bearing benzocyclohexane–ketoarylimine for copolymerization of norbornene with 5‐norbornene‐2‐carboxylic ester

A serial of late transition metal complexes, which bearing Benzocyclohexane–ketoarylimine ligand and named as Mt(benzocyclohexane–ketoarylimino)₂ {Mt(bchkai)₂: Mt=Ni or Pd; bchkai=C₁₀H₈(O)CN(Ar)CH₃; Ar=naphthyl or fluoryl}, have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of the ligands and nickel complex have been confirmed by X‐ray single‐crystal analyses. The nickel complexes exhibited very high activity up to 2.7 × 10⁵ g_polymer/mol_Ni·h and palladium complexes showed high activity up to 2.3 × 10⁵ g_polymer/mol_Pd·h for norbornene (NB) homo‐polymerization with tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane as cocatalyst. The four complexes were effective for copolymerization of NB and 5‐norbornene‐2‐carboxylic acid methyl ester (NB‐COOCH₃) in relatively high activities (0.1–2.4 × 10⁵ g_polymer/mol_Mt·h) and produced the addition‐type copolymers with relatively high molecular weights (0.5 × 10⁵–1.2 × 10⁵ g/mol) as well as narrow molecular weight distributions (PDI < 2 for all polymers). Influences of the metals and comonomer feed content on the polymerization activity as well as on the incorporation rates (20.9–42.6%) were investigated. The achieved NB/NB‐COOCH₃ copolymers were confirmed to be noncrystalline, exhibited good thermal stability (T_d > 400°C) and showed good solubility in common organic solvents. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Vinylic polymerization of norbornene by neutral nickel(II)‐based catalysts

Neutral Ni(II) salicylaldiminato complexes activated with modified methylaluminoxane as catalysts were used for the vinylic polymerization of norbornene. Catalyst activities of up to 7.08 × 10⁴ kg_pol/(mol_Ni · h) and viscosity‐average molecular weights of polymer up to 1.5 × 10⁶ g/mol were observed at optimum conditions. Polynorbornenes are amorphous, soluble in organic solvents, highly stable, and show glass‐transition temperatures around 390 °C. Catalyst activity, polymer yield, and polymer molecular weight can be controlled over a wide range by the variation of the reaction parameters such as the Al/Ni ratio, monomer/catalyst ratio, monomer concentration, polymerization reaction temperature, and time. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2680–2685, 2002     

Synthesis and characterization of Ni (II) complexes supported by phenoxy/naphthoxy‐imine ligands with pendant N‐ and O‐donor groups and their use in ethylene oligomerization

A series of new Ni(II) complexes of general formula Ni{ZNO} Br ( 2a‐i ) (ZNO = phenoxy/naphthoxy‐imine with pendant N‐ and O‐donor groups) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, ESI‐HRMS, and by X‐ray crystallography for 2e . In the solid state, 2e features a monomeric structure with κ³ coordination of the monoanionic naphthoxy‐imine‐quinoline ligand onto the nickel center. Upon activation with MAO, both classes of nickel catalysts were able to produce selectively 1‐butene (81.5–92.1 wt%) with turnover frequencies (TOFs) varying from 3,100 to 24,300 mol(C₂H₄) mol (Ni)^?1 h^?1. Nickel precatalysts bearing phenoxy‐imine ligands were much more active than its naphthoxy analogous under the same conditions. The use of a mixture of cocatalysts (MAO/TMA or MAO/TiBA) resulted in poor activities; however the presence of TiBA in the milieu led to a significant improvement on selectivity for 1‐hexene (25.5 wt%). Under optimized conditions ([Ni] = 10 μmol, 30 °C, oligomerization time = 5 min, 20 bar ethylene, [Al]/[Ni] = 600), precatalyst 2c led to TOF = 59,900 mol(C₂H₄) mol(Ni)^?1 h^?1 and selectivity for 1‐butene of 89.5 wt%.     

Controlled isoprene polymerization mediated by iminopyridine‐iron (II) acetylacetonate pre‐catalysts

A ligand controlled stereoselective polymerization of isoprene has been developed. A series of (aryl/alkyl)‐iminopyridine iron (II) acetylacetonate complexes: (aryl = Ph Fe1 ; alkyl = CH₂Ph Fe2 , CH (Ph)₂ Fe3 , CH (Me)₂ Fe4 , C (Me)₃ Fe5 , C (Me)₂CH₂C(Me)₃ Fe6 ), has been prepared in which steric and electronic substituents systematically modified to investigate their influences for isoprene polymerization. The molecular structure of representative complex Fe2 was confirmed by single crystal X‐ray diffraction and, revealed a distorted octahedral geometry at iron center. On treatment with methylaluminoxane (MAO), Fe1 – Fe6 displayed low ( Fe5 & Fe6 ) to high activities ( Fe1 – Fe4 ) with quantitative monomer conversion (>99%) for isoprene polymerization producing polyisoprene of high molecular weight (up to 2.0 × 10⁵ g/mol) and unimodal molecular weight distribution (1.4–3.3). Specifically, complex Fe2 (alkyl = CH₂Ph) displayed the highest activity of 7.0 × 10⁶ g (mol of Fe)^?1 h^?1 with 85% conversion of monomer over run time of 10 min at 25 °C. While, Fe6 catalyzed polyisoprene possessed high content of trans‐1,4 unit (up to 87%). Furthermore, the influence of the reaction parameters and the nature of the ligands on the catalytic activities and microstructural properties of the polymer were investigated in detail.     

Ni(II) and Pd(II) complexes bearing novel bis(β‐ketoamino) ligand and their catalytic activity toward copolymerization of norbornene and 5‐norbornene‐2‐yl acetate combined with B(C6F5)3

Two complexes Mt{C₁₀H₈(O)C[N(C₆H₅)]CH₃}₂ [Mt = Ni(II); Mt = Pd(II)] were synthesized, and the solid‐state structures of the complexes have been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffractions. Homopolymerization of norbornene (NB) and copolymerization of NB and 5‐norbornene‐2‐yl acetate (NB‐OCOCH₃) were carried out in toluene with both the two complexes mentioned above in combination with B(C₆F₅)₃. Both the catalytic systems exhibited high activity toward the homopolymerization of NB (as high as 2.7 × 10⁵ g_polymer/mol_Ni h, for Ni(II)/B(C₆F₅)₃ and 2.1 × 10⁵ g_polymer/mol_Pd h for Pd(II)/B(C₆F₅)₃, respectively.). Although the Pd(II)/B(C₆F₅)₃ shows very lower activity toward the copolymerization of NB with NB‐OCOCH₃, Ni(II)/B(C₆F₅)₃ shows a high activity and produces the addition‐type copolymer with relatively high molecular weights (MWs; 1.80–2.79 × 10⁵ g/mol) as well as narrow MW distribution (1.89–2.30). The NB‐OCOCH₃ content in the copolymers can be controlled up to 5.8–12.0% by varying the comonomer feed ratios from 10 to 50%. The copolymers exhibited high transparency, high glass transition temperature (T_g > 263.9 °C), better solubility, and mechanical properties compared with the homopolymer of NB. The reactivity ratios of the two monomers were determined to be r_NB‐OCOMe = 0.08, r_NB = 7.94 for Ni(II)/B(C₆F₅)₃ system, and r_NB‐OCOMe = 0.07, r_NB = 6.49, for Pd(II)/B(C₆F₅)₃ system by the Kelen‐Tüdõs method. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

2,4‐Dihydroxy‐5‐[(5‐mercapto‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐yl)diazenyl]benzaldehyde acetato,chloro and nitrato Cu(II) complexes: Synthesis,structural characterization,DNA binding and anticancer and antimicrobial activity

Acetato, chloro and nitrato Cu(II) complexes of a novel azo compound, namely 2,4‐dihydroxy‐5‐[(5‐mercapto‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐yl)diazenyl]benzaldehyde, have been prepared. The stoichiometry, stereochemistry and bonding fashion of these copper chelates were deduced via elemental analyses, spectral methods and conductivity and magnetic measurements. Infrared spectral data confirmed the participation of azo N atom and the deprotonated OH group. UV–visible spectral data and magnetic measurements indicated octahedral stereo‐structure for the acetato and nitrato compounds and square planer for the chloro compound. Thermogravimetric analysis was applied to investigate the thermal degradation of the metal chelates. The thermo‐kinetic parameters were computed. The molecular modeling technique was used to support the predicted geometry of the prepared chelates. The interaction between the Cu(II) complexes and calf thymus DNA was studied using two techniques: absorption and viscosity measurements. The values of binding constant obtained from the absorption spectral method were calculated and found to be 4.23 × 10⁴, 26.93 × 10⁴, 13.01 × 10⁴ and 5.36 × 10⁴ M^?1 for ligand and acetato, chloro and nitrato complexes, respectively. The antimicrobial activities were evaluated against various bacterial and fungi strains. The in vitro antitumor efficacy of the synthesized compounds was investigated against the HEPG2 cell line.     

Zinc (II), palladium (II) and cadmium (II) complexes containing 4‐methoxy‐N‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethylene) aniline derivatives: Synthesis,characterization and methyl methacrylate polymerization

A series of Zn (II), Pd (II) and Cd (II) complexes, [(L) _n MX ₂ ] _m (L = L‐a–L‐c; M = Zn, Pd; X = Cl; M = Cd; X = Br; n, m = 1 or 2), containing 4‐methoxy‐N‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethylene) aniline ( L‐a ), 4‐methoxy‐N‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethyl) aniline ( L‐b ) and 4‐methoxy‐N‐methyl‐N‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethyl) aniline ( L‐c ) have been synthesized and characterized. The X‐ray crystal structures of Pd (II) complexes [L ₁ PdCl ₂ ] (L = L‐b and L‐c) revealed distorted square planar geometries obtained via coordinative interaction of the nitrogen atoms of pyridine and amine moieties and two chloro ligands. The geometry around Zn (II) center in [(L‐a)ZnCl ₂ ] and [(L‐c)ZnCl ₂ ] can be best described as distorted tetrahedral, whereas [(L‐b) ₂ ZnCl ₂ ] and [(L‐b) ₂ CdBr ₂ ] achieved 6‐coordinated octahedral geometries around Zn and Cd centers through 2‐equivalent ligands, respectively. In addition, a dimeric [(L‐c)Cd(μ ‐ Br)Br] ₂ complex exhibited typical 5‐coordinated trigonal bipyramidal geometry around Cd center. The polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of modified methylaluminoxane was evaluated by all the synthesized complexes at 60°C. Among these complexes, [(L‐b)PdCl ₂ ] showed the highest catalytic activity [3.80 × 10⁴ g poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/mol Pd hr^?1], yielding high molecular weight (9.12 × 10⁵ g mol^?1) PMMA. Syndio‐enriched PMMA (characterized using ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy) of about 0.68 was obtained with T_g in the range 120–128°C. Unlike imine and amine moieties, the introduction of N‐methyl moiety has an adverse effect on the catalytic activity, but the syndiotacticity remained unaffected.     

Moderately branched ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene by using N,N′‐nickel catalysts adorned with sterically hindered dibenzocycloheptyl groups

Five examples of unsymmetrical 1,2‐bis (arylimino) acenaphthene ( L1 – L5 ), each containing one N‐2,4‐bis (dibenzocycloheptyl)‐6‐methylphenyl group and one sterically and electronically variable N‐aryl group, have been used to prepare the N,N′‐nickel (II) halide complexes, [1‐[2,4‐{(C₁₅H₁₃}₂–6‐MeC₆H₂N]‐2‐(ArN)C₂C₁₀H₆]NiX₂ (X = Br: Ar = 2,6‐Me₂C₆H₃ Ni1 , 2,6‐Et₂C₆H₃ Ni2 , 2,6‐i‐Pr₂C₆H₃ Ni3 , 2,4,6‐Me₃C₆H₂ Ni4 , 2,6‐Et₂–4‐MeC₆H₂ Ni5 ) and (X = Cl: Ar = 2,6‐Me₂C₆H₃ Ni6 , 2,6‐Et₂C₆H₃ Ni7 , 2,6‐i‐Pr₂C₆H₃ Ni8 , 2,4,6‐Me₃C₆H₂ Ni9 , 2,6‐Et₂–4‐MeC₆H₂ Ni10 ), in high yield. The molecular structures Ni3 and Ni7 highlight the extensive steric protection imparted by the ortho‐dibenzocycloheptyl group and the distorted tetrahedral geometry conferred to the nickel center. On activation with either Et₂AlCl or MAO, Ni1 – Ni10 exhibited very high activities for ethylene polymerization with the least bulky Ni1 the most active (up to 1.06  ×  10⁷ g PE mol^?1(Ni) h^?1 with MAO). Notably, these sterically bulky catalysts have a propensity towards generating very high molecular weight polyethylene with moderate levels of branching and narrow dispersities with the most hindered Ni3 and Ni8 affording ultra‐high molecular weight material (up to 1.5  ×  10⁶ g mol^?1). Indeed, both the activity and molecular weights of the resulting polyethylene are among the highest to be reported for this class of unsymmetrical 1,2‐bis (imino)acenaphthene‐nickel catalyst.     

New chiral α‐diimine nickel(II) complexes bearing ortho‐sec‐phenethyl groups for ethylene polymerization

A series of new α‐diimine nickel(II) catalysts bearing bulky chiral sec‐phenethyl groups have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structure of representative chiral ligand, bis[N,N′‐(4‐methyl‐2,6‐di‐sec‐phenethylphenyl)imino]‐1,2‐dimethylethane rac‐1c and chiral complexes, {bis[N,N′‐(4‐methyl‐2‐sec‐phenethylphenyl)imino]‐2,3‐butadiene}dibromidonickel rac‐2a and bis{bis[N,N′‐(4‐methyl‐2‐sec‐phenethylphenyl)imino]‐2,3‐butadiene}dibromidonickel rac‐2b, were confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. Complex rac‐2c bearing two chiral sec‐phenethyl groups in the ortho‐aryl position and a methyl group in the para‐aryl position, activated by diethylaluminum chloride (DEAC), showed highly catalytic activity for the polymerization of ethylene [4.12 × 10⁶ g PE (mol Ni.h.bar)^?1], and produced highly branched polyethylenes under low ethylene pressure (branching degree: 104, 118 and 126 branches/1000 C at 20, 40 and 60°C, respectively). Chiral 20‐electron bis‐α‐diimine Ni(II) complex rac‐2b also exhibited high activity toward ethylene polymerization [1.71 × 10⁶ g PE (mol Ni · h · bar)^?1]. The type and amount of branches of the polyethylenes obtained were determined by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Salicylaldiminato nickel(II) catalysts with 5‐halo‐3‐methoxy groups for ethylene polymerization

Two neutral salicylaldiminato methyl pyridine nickel(II) complexes were synthesized and evaluated for ethylene polymerization. Each catalyst bears a methoxy group in the 3‐position and a halogen atom in the 5‐position of the salicyl ligand, chlorine in case of catalyst 3a and bromine in 3b . Molecular structures of the catalysts were obtained by X‐ray crystallography. The resulting polymerization activities, for example, indicated by a maximum turnover frequency of 4,870 mol ethylene/(mol Ni × h) for 1‐h runs obtained with 3a , were higher than those of similar catalysts at comparable conditions reported in the literature. Catalyst 3a was slightly more active than catalyst 3b . The polymers are branched as measured by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR. This was also reflected in the melting temperatures between 76 and 113 °C obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. By using gel permeation chromatography measurements, it was determined that the M_w of the polymers ranges between about 5,400 and 21,600 g/mol. In particular, the effect of the polymerization temperature on the catalyst activity, degree of branching, and molecular weight properties has been described. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Cyclohexene Hydroconversion Using Monometallic and Bimetallic Catalysts Supported on γ‐Alumina

The hydroconversion of cyclohexene (CHE) using monometallic catalysts containing 0.35wt% of Pt, Pd, Ir or Re on a γ‐alumina support, as well as bimetallic catalysts containing combinations of 0.35wt% Pt with 0.35wt% of either Pd, Ir or Re on γ‐alumina, were investigated in a plug flow‐type fixed‐bed reactor. The Cyclohexene (CHE) feed was injected continuously with a rate of 8.33 × 10^?3mole h^?1 on 0.2 g of catalyst using a simultaneous hydrogen gas flow of 20 cm³ min^?1 throughout a broad reaction temperature range of 50–400 °C. The dispersion of the metals in the catalysts was determined via H₂ or CO chemisorption. The activities of the monometallic catalysts were found to be in the order: Pd > Pt > Ir > Re, whereas those of the bimetallic catalysts were in the order: PtPd > PtIr > PtRe. Cyclohexene hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions using the current mono‐ and bimetallic catalysts were kinetically investigated applying the absolute reaction rate theory, whereby reaction rate constant, activation energy, enthalpy and entropy of activation were computed to explain surface variations on these catalysts.     

Synthesis, characterization and catalytic behavior toward ethylene of cobalt(II) and iron(II) complexes bearing 2-(1-aryliminoethylidene)quinolines

A series of 2-(1-aryliminoethylidene)quinolines (L) were synthesized and used as bidentate N^N ligands in coordinating with metal (cobalt and iron) chlorides to form complexes of the type LMCl₂, cobalt(II) (Co1-Co5) and iron(II) (Fe1-Fe5). All organic compounds and metal complexes were fully characterized, and the molecular structures of the representative complexes Co3·DMF and Fe4·DMF were confirmed as distorted bipyramidal geometry at the metal by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Upon activation with either methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) under 10 atm ethylene, all complexes showed high activities in ethylene dimerization with activities of up to 1.82 × 10⁶ g mol⁻¹ (Co) h⁻¹ and 5.89 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹ (Fe) h⁻¹, respectively.