Ethylene polymerization with novel bridged tri- and tetranuclear titanocene/MAO systems

Two benzene centered tri- and tetracyclopentadienyl ligands C₆H₃(CH₂C₅H₅)₃-1,3,5 (1) and C₆H₂(CH₂C₅H₅)₄-1,2,4,5 (2) and their titanium complexes C₆H₃[CH₂C₅H₄Ti(C₅H₅)Cl₂]₃-1,3,5 (3), C₆H₃[CH₂C₅H₄Ti(C₅H₄CH₃)Cl₂]₃-1,3,5 (4), as well as C₆H₂[CH₂C₅H₄Ti(C₅H₅)Cl₂]₄-1,2,4,5 (5) were synthesized and characterized by mass and ¹H NMR spectra. In the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO), 3, 4 and 5 are efficient catalysts for ethylene polymerization in toluene. The influence of the polymerization conditions such as catalyst concentration, MAO/Ti molar ratio, polymerization time and temperature were investigated in detail. 3, 4 and 5 produce linear polyethylene (PE) with broad molecular weight distributions (MWD) and a little lower molecular weight.     

Ethylene polymerization by novel phenylenedimethylene bridged homobinuclear titanocene/MAO systems

Reaction of (o, m, p) disodium(phenylenedimethylene)dicyclopentadienide C₆H₄(CH₂C₅H₄Na)₂ with 2 equiv of (MeCp)TiCl₃ yields the phenylenedimethylene bridged binuclear titanocenes complexes [(MeC₅H₄)TiCl₂](C₅H₄CH₂C₆H₄CH₂C₅H₄)[(MeC₅H₄)TiCl₂] (3, 4, 5) in high yield, which were characterized by ¹H NMR and elemental analysis. They were used successfully as efficient catalysts for ethylene polymerization in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO). The catalytic activities of 4 and 5 are somewhat higher than that of 3 and the molecular weight distributions (MWD = 4.8-6.2) of the polymers generated from the bimetallic catalytic systems are obviously higher than that obtained by conventional Cp₂TiCl₂.     

Dimeric zirconium complex bearing a dianionic ansa-bis(aminopyridinato) ligand

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Schiff base tantalum(V) complexes

Summary Complexes of pentachlorotantalum with the Schiff bases: bis(vanillin)benzidine, bis(vanillin)-o-dianisidine, bis(acetylacetone)benzidine, bis(p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde)-o-dianisidine, bis(anisaldehyde)-1, 3-propanediamine and bis(p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde)-o-phenylenediamine have been prepared and characterized by molar conductance, decomposition temperature, elemental and t.g. analyses and i.r. spectral measurements. The conductances reveal that pentachlorotantalum (1 mole) interacts with all the ligands (1 mole), all five chloride ions thus forming simple adducts. A comparative study of the i.r. spectra of the parent ligands and their complexes allows the coordination sites to be ascertained. The studies show that tantalum(V) chloride prefers to form complexes of high coordination number.     

Benzoyl hydrazone derivatives of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) ethoxides

Summary Niobium(V) and tantalum(V) pentaethoxides react with monofunctional benzoyl hydrazones (BHy) in refluxing benzene to give products of the type, M(OEt)_5–n(BHy)_n (where M=Nb or Ta and n=1, 2 or 3). The complexes have been characterised on the basis of elemental analysis, spectral (i.r. and n.m.r.) and molecular weight data.     

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.     

Novel poly(methimazolyl)borate complexes of niobium(V) and tantalum(V)

The reactions of [MCl4(eta-C5H5)](M = Nb, Ta) with Ph3Sn{HB(mt)3} (mt = methimazolyl) provide structurally characterised complexes of the new chlorobis(methimazolyl)borate ligand, [MCl3(eta-C5H5){kappa2-S,S'-HClB(mt)2}].     

Determination of tantalum with hexafluorotantalate(V)-selective coated graphite electrode

A hexafluorotantalate(V)-selective coated-graphite electrode was prepared by coating a graphite rod with brilliant green-hexafluorotantalate(V) extract in 1-chloronaphthalene in a PVC matrix. Potential measurements were made against an HF-resistant plastic sleeve (Ag/AgCl) external reference electrode. The concentrations of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acids, for the optimum response of the electrode to hexafluorotantalate(V), were found to be 1M each in the test solutions. The electrode responded to hexafluorotantalate(V) in the linear range 5.0 × 10^–6-5.0 × 10^–3 M, with a slope of -58 mV per decade and detection limit of 8.0 × 10^–7 M within 5–15s. The relative standard deviation for six determinations of 1.0 × 10^–4 M tantalum(V) was 2%. The life-time of the electrode was 60 days. The effects of forty diverse ions on the electrode response to the hexafluorotantalate(V) were studied and the electrode was found to be highly selective to hexafluorotantalate(V). Niobium, the element that commonly occurs with tantalum ores, showed a very low level of interference. The newly developed coated-graphite electrode has been applied to the determination of tantalum in tantalite-columbite ores and several synthetic matrices by direct, sample addition, standard addition, and Gran's plot potentiometric techniques with reasonable precision (2–4%) and accuracy.     

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.     

A binuclear tantalum(III) complex with a bridging carboxylato ligand

Ta₂Cl₆(SMe₂)₃ reacts with one equivalent of C₄H₉CO₂Li to give a complex with a bridging carboxylate ligand, Ta₂Cl₅(O₂CC₄H₉)(SMe₂)(THF)₂. The product was isolated in two crystalline forms, 1 and 2, from a THF/hexane and benzene/hexane solvent mixture, respectively. The following are the unit cell parameters, for 1: monoclinic (P2₁/n), a = 10.537(5) Å, b = 22.015(4) Å, c = 11.663(4) Å, β = 107.80(3)°, V = 2576(3) ų, and Z = 4; for 2: monoclinic (P2₁/c), a = 15.584(4) Å, b = 15.647(4) Å, c = 11.275(3) Å, β = 106.04(5)°, V = 2642(3) ų and Z = 4. The complex is a dimer with a distorted octahedra-sharing-an-edge geometry. The TaTa distances in 1 and 2 were 2.766(1) Å and 2.779(1) Å, respectively, which is somewhat longer than in previously reported Nb(III) and Ta(III) dinuclear compounds. Diamagnetism of the complex is shown by NMR. Fenske—Hall calculations, which correctly predict an electronic transition at about 16,000 cm^?1, indicate a double TaTa bond. The observed elongation of the metalmetal bond is attributed mainly to steric crowding. The complex is the first proven low-valent Ta species with a coordinated carboxylate ion.     

The preparation of mono(η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) compounds of tantalum(V)

The synthesis and characterization of (η⁵-C₅Me₅)TaCl₄, (η⁵-C₅Me₅)TaCl₄L (L  PMe₃, P(OMe)₃, Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂), (η⁵-C₅Me₅)TaMe₄, and (η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ta(CH₂Ph)₂(CHPh) is described. NMR studies of the bis(1,2-diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) adduct show exchange of free and ligated dppe, possibly via dissociation of the ligand from a monodentate compound.     

Addition compounds of monophenoxy-and diphenoxy-niobium(V) and tantalum(V) chlorides with some phosphoryl and amine oxide ligands

Summary Compounds of composition MCl_5–n(OPh)_n · L (M = Nb or Ta; n = 1 or 2 and L = monodentate ligand) have been prepared by reacting phosphoryl and amine oxide ligands with phenoxy-niobium(V) and -tantalum(V) chlorides and characterized by their analytical data, molecular weights, molar conductance and i.r. spectra.     

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).     

19F NMR study of mixed fluorohalide anions of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) in solution

Anions of the type MF_nX^-_6-n (M = Nb^V, Ta^V; X = Cl_-, Br_-), including geometric isomers, have been characterised in solution by ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy. Thirty eight fluorine-containing complexes of tantalum of the type TaF_xCl_yBr^-_z have been found from the 46 theoretically possible. The relative stability of mixed tantalum fluorochloro and fluorobromo anions of the type TaF_nX^-_6-n has been studied.     

A tantalum(V) carbene complex: formation of a carbene-bis(phenoxide) ligand by sequential proton and hydride abstraction

Proton and subsequent hydride abstraction from the bis(phenoxide) ligand of the trimethyltantalum(V) complex affords a cationic tantalum(V) carbene complex, in which two phenoxide groups are linked to the carbene center. The electrophilic nature of the carbene functionality is demonstrated by the reaction with PPh3.