Synthesis and styrene polymerization properties of dinuclear half-titanocene complexes with xylene linkage

The new dinuclear half-sandwich complexes of titanium with xylene bridge, [Ti(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)Cl₂L]₂[CH₂-C₆H₄-CH₂] (L = Cl (3), L = O-2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃ (4), L = N(SiMe₃)(2,6-Me₂C₆H₃) (5)), have been synthesized. The complexes 4 and 5 have been prepared by the reaction of the complex 3 with the corresponding lithium salts of aryloxy and anilide. Structure of these complexes has been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The change of substituent from chloride, 3, to anilide, 5, at titanium resulted in chemical shift change of cyclopentadienyl protons from 6.92 and 6.79 to 6.13 and 5.95 ppm probably due to the positive electron density delivery from the anilide group. It was found that all three half-titanocenes were effective catalyst for the generation of SPS (syndiotactic polystyrene). Xylene bridged dinuclear catalyst (4) with aryloxy substituent exhibited very high activity (458 kg of SPS/(mol of [Ti])h), at 40 °C, whereas the analogous hexamethylene bridged dinuclear half-titanocene catalyst (7) showed a lower activity (80.7 kg of SPS/(mol of [Ti])h) under the same conditions. While the catalyst 3 was the most active catalyst among three complexes less than 40 °C the catalyst 5 exhibited the highest activity at 70 °C. Xylene linkage was suggested to be too stiff to permit any kind of intramolecular interaction between two active centers. Lack of steric disturbance due to the rigidity of the xylene bridge might give rise to the similar properties of dinuclear metallocene to the corresponding mononuclear metallocene to result in not only the facile coordination of monomer at the active center to lead high activity but also the easier β-H elimination comparing to the dinuclear catalysts with the flexible bridge to result in the formation of lower molecular weight polymer.     

Ethylene polymerization by rigid benzene ring centered dinuclear metallocene (Ti, Zr)/MAO systems

Two rigid benzene centered dinuclear metallocene complexes C₆H₂[(CH₂C₅H₄)₂MCl₂]₂, M = Ti (1), Zr (2) have been prepared by treating two equivalents of TiCl₄ and ZrCl₄ with the tetralithium salt of the ligand C₆H₂(CH₂C₅H₅)₄-1,2,4,5 in toluene and characterized by ¹H NMR and elemental analysis. Both complexes are effective catalysts for ethylene polymerization in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO). The influence of [MAO]/[Cat] molar ratio, catalyst concentration, polymerization temperature and time has been tested in detail. The catalytic activity of complex 2 is more than two times higher than that of complex 1, which is still more active than that of the tetranuclear titanocene C₆H₂[CH₂C₅H₄Ti(C₅H₅)Cl₂]₄-1,2,4,5 (5). On the other hand, the catalytic activities of 1 and 2 is slightly lower than that of the dinuclear metallocene complexes C₆H₄[CH₂C₅H₄Ti(C₅H₄CH₃)Cl₂]₂-1,3 (3) and C₆H₄[CH₂C₅H₄Zr(C₅H₅)Cl₂]₂-1,3 (4), respectively, which is related to the limited intermolecular rotation of the metallocene units in 1 and 2. The melting points above 130 °C indicate a polyethylene formed by complexes 1 and 2 with highly linear and highly crystalline. GPC spectra show that polyethylene produced by complexes 1 and 2 has a broad and even bimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD).     

Synthesis, characterization, and ethylene polymerizations of various N-O chelated mono Cp titanium complexes

Various mono Cp^∗ type titanium mononuclear complexes (1-5) and dinuclear complexes (6 and 7) containing non-Cp type chelate ligand, picolinate group, which has multi-binding sites of N and O atoms were synthesized and fully characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray diffraction study. The 1 and 2/MMAO catalytic systems for ethylene polymerization exhibited a moderate activity and gave the polyethylenes with broad molecular weight distributions.     

Ethylene polymerization by novel 4,4′-bis(methylene)biphenylene bridged homodinuclear titanocene and zirconocene combined with MAO

4,4′-Bis(methylene)biphenylene bridged homodinuclear titanocene (3) and zirconocene (4) have been synthesized by treatment of CpTiCl₃ and CpZrCl₃ · DME with Na₂[C₅H₄CH₂C₆H₄-p-C₆H₄CH₂C₅H₄], respectively, in THF and characterized by ¹H NMR and element analysis. After activation with methyl aluminoxane (MAO), these catalysts were used for the homogeneous polymerization of ethylene. The influences of reaction conditions, such as temperature, time, catalyst concentration and molar ratio of MAO/Cat. on ethylene polymerization were investigated in detail. The catalytic activities of 3 and 4 are more than three times higher than that of the phenyldimethylene bridged homodinuclear metallocene of titanocene (5) and zirconocene (6), respectively, and also twice higher than that of Cp₂TiCl₂/MAO and Cp₂ZrCl₂/MAO, respectively. However, the catalytic activity of 3 is nearly half as high as that of 4, which reached 1.31 × 10⁶ g PE/mol cat h. The molecular weight of polyethylene increases simultaneously with prolongation of polymerization time. GPC spectra show that 3 and 4 produce polyethylene with broad molecular weight distribution (4.28 and 3.18). The high melting points of the products (131-134 °C) indicate that the polyethylene formed is highly linear and highly crystalline.     

Ethylene polymerization by 3-oxa-pentamethylene bridged dinuclear metallocene (Ti, Zr)/MAO systems

Two hetero-atom containing bridged dinuclear metallocene complexes, (CpMCl₂)₂(C₅H₄CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂C₅H₄) [M = Ti (1), Zr (2)], have been synthesized by treating the disodium salt of the corresponding ligand (C₅H₅CH₂CH₂)₂O with two equivalents of CpTiCl₃ and CpZrCl₃ · DME, respectively, in THF at 0 °C and characterized by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR, MS and IR spectroscopy. Homogenous ethylene polymerization by those complexes has been conducted systematically in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO). The influences of reaction parameters, such as [MAO]/[Cat] molar ratio, catalyst concentration, ethylene pressure, temperature and time, have been studied in detail. The catalytic activities of the dinuclear complexes 1 and 2 were higher than those of (MeCpTiCl₂)₂(C₅H₄CH₂C₆H₄CH₂C₅H₄) (3), (CpZrCl₂)₂(C₅H₄CH₂C₆H₄CH₂C₅H₄) (4) and the mononuclear metallocenes Cp₂TiCl₂ and Cp₂ZrCl₂, respectively. Complex 2 showed high catalytic activity at high temperature (50-100 °C) and high pressure (6 bar). The molecular weight distributions of polyethylene produced by 1 and 2 (MWD = 2.49 and 5.90) were broader than those using the corresponding mononuclear metallocenes (MWD = 2.05 and 2.15). The melting points of the polyethylene produced ranged from 129 to 133 °C, indicating a high linearity and a high crystallinity.     

Highly active new α-diimine nickel catalyst for the polymerization of α-olefins

A new silylated α-diimine ligand, bis[N,N′-(4-tert-butyl-diphenylsilyl-2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene 3, and its corresponding Ni(II) complex, {bis[N,N′-(4-tert-butyl-diphenylsilyl-2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene}dibromonickel 4, have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures of 3 and 4 were determined by X-ray crystallography. In the solid state, complex 4 is a dimer with two bridging Br ligands linking the two nickel centers, which have square pyramidal geometries. Complex 4, activated either by diethylaluminum chloride (DEAC) or methylaluminoxane (MAO) produces very active catalyst systems for the polymerization of ethylene and moderately active for the polymerization of propylene. The activity values are in the order of magnitude of 10⁷ g PE (mol Ni [E] h)⁻¹ for the polymerization of ethylene and of 10⁵ g PP (mol Ni [P] h)⁻¹ for the polymerization of propylene. NMR analysis shows that branched polyethylenes (PE) are obtained at room or higher temperatures and almost linear PE is obtained at 0 °C with 4/DEAC.     

Synthesis and characterization of mercury(II) complexes with 2-styryl-1,3-benzothiazole (sb). Presence of two differently coordinated Hg(II) ions in the dinuclear complex Hg2Cl4(sb)3. Structural characterization of 2-styryl-1,3-benzothiazole and some of its derivatives

The molecular and crystal structures of the following compounds 2-styryl-1,3-benzothiazole, sb, (1), Hg₂Cl₄(sb)₃ (2), 1,3-bis(1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-2,4-diphenylcyclobutane (3) 1,3-bis(1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-2,4-bis(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutane (4) and HgBr₂(sb)₂ (5) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. The crystal structure of 1 consists of discrete sb molecules which are essentially planar. The dimeric molecules of 3 and 4 are characterized by a cyclobutane ring. In both isolated complexes 2 and 5, sb acts as a neutral monodentate ligand coordinated to the mercury atom through the thiazolyl nitrogen atom. The dinuclear complex 2 is characterized by the unique example of two differently coordinated Hg(II) ions bridged via a non-symmetrical linear Cl⁻ bridge. The first one is coordinated by one terminal and one bridging Cl⁻ ion and two thiazolyl nitrogen atoms in the form of distorted tetrahedron. The second one is bonded to two terminal Cl⁻ ions and the bridging Cl⁻ ion and one thiazolyl nitrogen atom in a 2+2 manner. In complex 5 the Hg(II) ion, which is situated on a crystallographic twofold axis, is tetrahedrally coordinated by two Br⁻ ions and two thiazolyl nitrogen atoms. Both complexes are characterized by stronger mercury-to-halide covalent bonds than mercury-to-nitrogen bonds, which are regarded as contacts shorter than the van der Waals radii sum of the corresponding atoms. The geometry of the sb ligand in both complexes 2 and 5 has not been changed remarkably from that one in the uncoordinated state due to not so strong bonds formation with the Hg(II) ion.     

Synthesis and molecular structures of dinuclear complexes with 1,2-dihydro-1,2-diphenyl-naphtho[1,8-c,d]1,2-diphosphole as a bridging ligand

A bisphosphine in which a PhP-PPh bond bridges 1,8-positions of naphthalene, 1,2-dihydro-1,2-diphenyl-naphtho[1,8-cd]-1,2-diphosphole (1), was used as a bridging ligand for the preparation of dinuclear group 6 metal complexes. Free trans-1, a more stable isomer having two phenyl groups on phosphorus centers mutually trans with respect to a naphthalene plane, was allowed to react with two equivalents of M(CO)₅(thf) (M = W, Mo, Cr) at room temperature to give dinuclear complexes (OC)₅M(μ-trans-1)M(CO)₅ (M = W (2a), Mo (2b), Cr (2c)). The preparation of the corresponding dinuclear complexes bridged by the cis isomer of 1 was also carried out starting from the free trans-1 in the following way. Mono-nuclear complexes M(trans-1)(CO)₅ (M = W (3a), Mo (3b), Cr (3c)) which had been prepared by a reaction of trans-1 with one equivalent of the corresponding M(CO)₅(thf) (M = W, Mo, Cr) complex, were heated in toluene, wherein a part of the trans-3a-c was converted to their respective cis isomer M(cis-1)(CO)₅. Each cis trans mixture of the mono-nuclear complexes 3a-c was treated with the corresponding M(CO)₅(thf) to give a cis trans mixture of the respective dinuclear complexes 2a-c. The cis isomer of the ditungsten complex 2a was isolated, and its molecular structure was confirmed by X-ray analysis, showing a shorter W?W distance of 5.1661(3) Å than that of 5.8317(2) Å in trans-2a.     

Cyclic organohydroborate complexes of metallocenes: VIII. Triphenylsiloxy derivatives of Group IV organometallic systems, Cp2M(OSiPh3)X (M=Ti, Zr, Hf; X=Cl, {(μ-H)2BC8H14})

Group IV metallocene triphenylsiloxy chlorides, Cp₂MCl(OSiPh₃) (1, M=Ti; 2, M=Zr; 3, M=Hf), and cyclic organohydroborates, Cp₂M(OSiPh₃){(μ-H)₂BC₈H₁₄} (4, M=Zr; 5, M=Hf), were synthesized and characterized. The new hafnocene chloride derivative 3 was obtained by treating Cp₂HfCl₂ with triphenylsilanol and piperidine. The 18-electron cyclic organohydroborates 4 and 5 were afforded by reacting 2 and 3 with K[H₂BC₈H₁₄], the potassium salt of the 9-BBN dimer. Reaction of 1 with K[H₂BC₈H₁₄] causes reduction of the Ti(IV) center and produces the well-known Ti(III), 17-electron, paramagnetic dimer [Cp₂Ti(μ-Cl)₂TiCp₂] (6). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction structures of 3, 4, 5, and 6 were determined.     

Nickel(II) complexes of the type [RM(oxam)MR] (oxam: oxalamidinate, R=n-butyl, n-hexyl): the first binuclear n-alkyl nickel complexes

The reaction between one equivalent of [(acac)Ni(A)Ni(acac)] (A: N¹,N²-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N³,N⁴-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)oxalamidinate) and two equivalents of R-Li (R=n-butyl; n-hexyl) results in the formation of the binuclear complexes [(R-Ni)(A)(Ni-R)] (1: R=n-butyl: 2=n-hexyl). Both compounds were characterized by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectroscopy. X-ray single diffraction studies of single crystals of 1 and 2 show that symmetrical binuclear complexes are formed in which the two Ni(II) centers are connected by the oxalamidinato bridging ligand A in a planar-square environment. No agostic interactions between the β-hydrogens of the n-alkyl groups and the metal centers were observed. DTA- and DTG-investigations show, that 1 and 2 are surprisingly thermally stable (decomposition temperature of 1: 188 °C under formation of butenes). Heating up a 1:1 mixture of 1 and 2 in toluene results in the formation of octane, decane and dodecane indicating an intermolecular transfer reaction of the n-alkyl-groups in solution. CV measurements display that the oxam complexes [(R-M)(A)(M-R)] (M=Ni, R=CH₃ (3), Ph (4), CCH (6), CCPh (7); M=Pd, R=CH₃ (5) are reversibly reduced in two steps indicating electronic interactions between the two metal centers.     

Dinuclear titanium complexes with methylphenylsilylene bridge between cyclopentadienyl rings. Synthesis, characterization and reactivity towards ethylene

The new ansa-titanocene dichloride [{(SiMePh)(η⁵-C₅H₄)₂}TiCl₂] (1) was prepared by one pot reaction, whereas synthesis of its methylated analogue [{(SiMePh)(η⁵-C₅Me₄)₂}TiCl₂] (3) was performed in two steps with isolation of corresponding silane intermediate SiMePh(HC₅Me₄)₂ (2). The reaction of 1 and 3 with TiCl₄ afforded the dinuclear complexes [(SiMePh){(η⁵-C₅R₄)TiCl₃}₂] (R = H (4) and R = Me (5)). The catalysts formed from 4 and 5 after their activation with excess MAO exhibited a modest activity in ethylene polymerization. The polymer products consisted of high molar mass linear polyethylenes with a broad molar mass distribution. The presence of three paramagnetic titanium species in the mixture 4/MAO was revealed by EPR spectroscopy. All new prepared compounds 1-5 were characterized by multinuclear NMR, EI-MS, IR, and solid-state structures of 1, 3 and 5 were determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction.     

Study of complexes of platinum group metals containing nitrogen bases derived from pyridine aldehydes: Interesting molecular structures with unpredicted bonding modes of the ligands

A series of mono-cationic dinuclear half sandwich ruthenium, rhodium and iridium metal complexes have been synthesized using ((pyridin-2-yl)methylimino)nicotinamide (L1) and ((picolinamido)phenyl)picolinamide (L2) ligands: [(η⁶-arene)₂Ru₂(μ-L1)Cl₃]⁺ (arene = C₆H₆, 1; p-ⁱPrC₆H₄Me, 2; C₆Me₆, 3), [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂M₂(μ-L1)Cl₃]⁺ (M = Rh, 4; Ir, 5), and [(η⁶-arene)₂Ru₂(μ-L2)(μ-Cl)]⁺ (arene = C₆H₆, 6; p-ⁱPrC₆H₄Me, 7; C₆Me₆, 8), [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂M₂(μ-L2)Cl₂]⁺ (M = Rh, 9; Ir, 10). All the complexes have been isolated as their hexafluorophosphate salts and fully characterized by use of a combination of NMR and IR spectroscopy. The solid state structure of three representatives 4, 6 and 9 has been determined by X-ray crystallographic studies. Interestingly, in the molecular structure of 4, the first metal is bonded to two nitrogen atoms whereas the second metal center is coordinated to only one nitrogen atom with two terminal chloride ligands. Fascinatingly in the case of the complexes with the symmetrical ligand L2, both ruthenium centers having η⁶-arene groups are bonded to nitrogen atoms with a bridging chloride atom between the two metal centers, whereas the metals with η⁵-Cp∗ groups are bonded to the ligand N,O and N,N fashion.     

Copolymerization of ethylene and non-conjugated diene with metallocene/methylaluminoxane system supported on MCM-41 mesoporous material

Ethylene was copolymerized with the non-conjugated diene 5,7-dimethylocta-1,6-diene by metallocene catalysts, homogenous and supported on MCM-41 mesoporous material activated by methylaluminoxane at room temperature. The employed metallocenes were (BzCp)₂ZrCl₂ (1), (C₁₈H₃₇Cp)₂ZrCl₂ (2), (CH₃)₂Si(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ (3) and ?₂C(Cp,Flu)ZrCl₂ (4). Diene incorporation and thermal characteristic of the polymers were determined by ¹³C-NMR and DSC. For the homogeneous systems, only the unbridged metallocene (1) showed a decrease in the activity as the diene content was increased. The ability for diene incorporation in the polymer chain followed the catalyst order (1) < (3) < (2) < (4). Regarding the supported systems, it was observed that all of them showed lower activity than the corresponding homogeneous catalysts. A sharp loss of activity in relation to the homogeneous counterpart was noticed by employing the ansa-metallocenes on MCM-41, especially the complex (4) supported catalyst. The effect of the mesoporous material as support on the behavior of the studied metallocene homogeneous systems in ethylene-diene copolymerization was an increase of polymer molecular weight, maintaining the same level of diene incorporation, except for catalyst (2), when a decrease of the diene incorporation was observed.     

Reactivity of electron-poor decamethyl-1,3-diboraruthenocene with sulfur and phosphorus compounds

Decamethyl-1,3-diboraruthenocene [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ru{η⁵-(CMe)₃(BMe)₂}] (1) reacts with cyclo-octasulfur in hexane to give [(η⁵-C₅Me₅){η⁵-(CMe)₃(BMe)₂}RuS] (3), which may also be obtained from 1 and propylene sulfide. 1 reacts with H₂S to form the ruthenathiacarboranyl complex [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ru{η⁴-(CMe)₃(BMe)₂S}] (6), for which a nido-structure is proposed. The isomeric compounds 3 and 6 have different stabilities: 3 loses sulfur and unexpectedly the closo-cluster [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂Ru₂H(CMe)₃(BMe)₂] (4) is formed with hydrogen bridging the basal and apical Ru centers. Reaction of 1 with carbonylsulfide (COS) yields the dinuclear ruthenium compound [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ru{η⁵-(CMe)₃(BMe)₂(S)(COBMe)}]₂ (7) in which two B-O groups bridge two ruthenium complexes. Its formation results from a complex reaction sequence: sulfur inserts into the diborolyl ring and the ligand CO forms an oxygen-boron bridge to a second molecule, followed by insertion of the carbonyl carbon into the double bond of the diboraheterocycle. Carbon disulfide reacts with 1 to give the dinuclear complex 8 with two CS₂ molecules connecting the ruthenium centers. When 1 and P₄ are heated in toluene, the sandwich 9 is obtained by formal insertion of a P-H group into the diborolyl ring of 1 and the triple-decker [{η⁵-(C₅Me₅)Ru}₂{μ-(MeC)₃P(MeB)₂} (10) is detected in the mass spectrum. The phosphaalkyne PCtBu inserts into 1 to give the ruthenaphosphacarborane [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ru{(CMe)₂(BMe)(PCtBu)(CMe)(BMe)}] (11) in high yield. Phosphanes react with 1 to give weak donor-acceptor complexes 1 · PH₂R (12) (R=Ph, H). The compositions of the compounds are deduced from spectroscopic and analytical data and are confirmed for 4 and 7 by X-ray structural analyses.     

Ethylene polymerization promoted by dinuclear titanium p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene complexes

The dinuclear titanium p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene complexes 1 and 2 after activation with methylaluminoxane have been tested as homogeneous catalysts for the polymerization of ethylene. The results show that the catalytic activity of 1, although still poor, is higher than those of the related mononuclear titanium complexes bearing calix[4]arene as ligand. The molecular weight of the polyethylene produced are high (M_W up to 1.4 × 10⁶ Dalton) with broad molecular weight distribution. The polyethylenes have high melting point (133-142 °C) indicating a linear polymer microstructure which was confirmed by ¹³C NMR analysis.     

Controlling self-assembly of zinc(II)-benzoate coordination complexes with 1,4-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane by varying solvent and ligand-to-metal ratio: Their catalytic activities

Four new coordination polymers formed by zinc-benzoate with the 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpe) bridging ligand have been prepared and characterized. Zinc-benzoates can be rationally tuned to form four different structures with a bridging bpe ligand by controlling ligand-to-zinc-benzoate molar ratios and by using different solvent systems, and reveal three coordination polymers having similar one-dimensional characteristics but having different mono-, di-, trinuclear nodes (1–3), and a dinuclear ring type molecule (4). This work reveals that the ligand-to-metal ratio and solvent play very important roles in the formation of different coordination structures. We have also shown that the compounds 1–4 catalyzed efficiently the transesterification of a variety of esters. The complex 3 showed the most efficient reactivity and is the best among the catalytic efficiencies reported previously with zinc-containing coordination and polymeric compounds. The substrates with the electron-withdrawing substituents have undergone faster transesterification than those with the electron-donating ones. In addition, the scope of the application of 1–4 as transesterification catalysts has been expanded to now include ethanol and propanol, suggesting that this catalytic system can be potentially useful for preparing various esters by transesterification. Moreover, the transesterification reaction mechanism was discussed by ¹H NMR study.     

Synthesis and characterization of titanium alkyl, oxo, and diene complexes bearing a SiMe2-bridged phenoxy-cyclopentadienyl ligand and their catalytic performance for copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene

A series of titanium complexes bearing a SiMe₂-bridged phenoxy-cyclopentadienyl ligand were synthesized and characterized, and their catalytic behavior for copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene was investigated. Treatment of dimethylsilyl(2,3,4,5-tetramethylcyclopentadienyl)(3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-2-phenoxy)-titanium dichloride (1) with appropriate nucleophiles afforded dimethoxy complex 2, dimethyl complex 3, and dibenzyl complex 4. Standing a toluene solution of 2 in air afforded a dinuclear μ-oxo complex 5 as a single isomer. 1,3-Diene complexes 6-8 were prepared by reaction of 1 with the corresponding 1,3-dienes in the presence of 2 equiv. of n-BuLi. X-ray analysis of 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene complex 6 revealed that the diene ligand coordinates to titanium in s-cis fashion with a prone orientation. The newly prepared titanium complexes were applied to copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene upon activation with AlⁱBu₃ and [C₆H₅NMe₂H][B(C₆F₅)₄]. It was found that the alkyl complexes 3-4 and the diene complexes 6-8 showed higher activities than 1 at elevated temperature.     

Synthesis and characterization of phosphorous-bridged bisphenoxy titanium complexes and their application to ethylene polymerization

Phosphorous-bridged bisphenoxy titanium complexes were synthesized and their ethylene polymerization behavior was investigated. Bis[3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-2-phenoxy](phenyl)phosphine tetrahydrofuran titanium dichloride (4a) was obtained by treatment of 3 equiv of n-BuLi with bis[3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl](phenyl)phosphine hydrochloride salt (3a) followed by TiCl₄(THF)₂ in THF. THF-free complexes 5a-5d were synthesized more conveniently by the direct reaction of MOM-protected ligands (2a-2d) with TiCl₄ in toluene. X-ray analysis of 4a revealed that the ligand is bonded to the octahedral titanium (IV) center in a facial fashion and two chlorine atoms possess cis-geometry. Complexes 4a and 5a-5d were utilized as catalyst precursors for ethylene polymerization. Complex 5c gave high molecular weight polyethylene (M_w = 1,170,000, M_w/M_n = 2.0) upon activation with Al(ⁱBu)₃/[Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄] (TB). Ethylene polymerization activity of 5d activated with Al(ⁱBu)₃/TB reached 49.0 × 10⁶ g mol (cat) ⁻¹ h⁻¹.     

Nickel (II) complexes bearing 2-ethylcarboxylate-6-iminopyridyl ligands: synthesis, structures and their catalytic behavior for ethylene oligomerization and polymerization

A series of nickel (II) complexes (L)NiCl₂ (7-9) and (L)NiBr₂ (10-12) were prepared by the reactions of the corresponding 2-carboxylate-6-iminopyridine ligands 1-6 with NiCl₂ · 6H₂O or (DME)NiBr₂ (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane), respectively. All the complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Solid-state structures of 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 were determined by X-ray diffraction. In the cases of 7, 8 and 10, the ligands chelate with the nickel centers in tridentate fashion in which the carbonyl oxygen atoms coordinate with the metal centers, while the carbonyl oxygen atoms are free from coordinating with the nickel centers in 11 and 12. Upon activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO), these complexes are active for ethylene oligomerization (up to 7.97 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹ (Ni) h⁻¹ for 11 with 2 equivalents of PPh₃ as auxiliary ligand) and/or polymerization (1.37 × 10⁴ g mol⁻¹ (Ni) h⁻¹ for 9). The ethylene oligomerization activities of 7-12 were significantly improved in the presence of PPh₃ as auxiliary ligands. The effects of the coordination environment and reaction conditions on the ethylene catalytic behaviors have been discussed.     

Synthesis and coordination chemistry of new tetradentate N2S2 donor Schiff-base ligand ca2-dapte: Mononuclear and dinuclear copper(I) complexes [Cu(ca2dapte)]ClO4 and [{Cu(PPh3)(X)}2(ca2dapte)] (X = I and Br)

A mononuclear copper(I) complex, [Cu(ca₂dapte)]ClO₄ (1), and two dinuclear copper(I) complexes, [{Cu(PPh₃)(X)}₂(ca₂dapte)] (X = I (2) and Br (3)), of a new tetradentate N₂S₂ donor Schiff-base ligand ca₂dapte have been prepared (ca₂dapte = N,N′-bis(trans-cinnamaldehyde)-1,2-di(o-iminophenylthio)ethane). These compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses (CHN), FT-IR, UV–Vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of these copper(I) complexes have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The coordination geometry around Cu(I) centers in these complexes is a distorted tetrahedron. The ca₂dapte is coordinated to Cu(I) as a tetradentate ligand in 1, while it acts as a bis-bidentate bridging ligand in 2 and 3.