New tethered ansa‐bridged zirconium catalysts: Insights into the “self‐immobilization” mechanism

New ω‐alkenyl‐substituted ansa‐bridged bisindenyl zirconium complexes are prepared and tested as self‐immobilized catalysts for ethene polymerization. But, even at very high concentration of the tethered complexes and low pressure of ethene, there is no evidence of their insertion into the polyethene chain. A “cross polymerization” test, performed by copolymerizing the tethered complexes with ethene using rac‐Me₂Si(2‐MeBenzInd)₂ZrCl₂ ( MBI ), does not lead to their incorporation into the polyethene chain. However, the corresponding ligand proves to be a suitable comonomer for ethene, and, through copolymerization promoted by MBI, innovative poly(ethene‐co‐2,2′‐bis[(1H‐inden‐3′‐yl)‐hex‐5‐ene) copolymers are prepared and characterized by ¹³C NMR. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Temperature dependence of copolymerization parameters in ethene/1-octene copolymerization using homogeneous rac-Me2Si(2-MeBenz[e]Ind)2ZrCl2/MAO catalyst

Ethene was copolymerized with 1-octene using homogeneous MAO-activated rac-Me₂Si(2-MeBenz[e]Ind)₂ZrCl₂ at constant ethene concentration with temperature varying between 0 and 60°C to determine a temperature dependence of copolymerization parameters. At constant 1-octene and ethene concentration (constant ethene/1-octene feed molar ratio) 1-octene incorporation decreased with increasing temperature. Furthermore, when ethene/1-octene molar ratio was varied by varying the temperature keeping 1-octene concentration and ethene pressure constant, increasing temperature accounted for lower molecular masses without affecting 1-octene incorporation. An explanation for the observed temperature dependence of the copolymerization parameters is presented, considering the solution-enthalpy of the gaseous ethene in the solvent. In all cases amorphous poly(ethene-co-1-octene) with 1-octene content varying between 20 and 40 mol % was obtained. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Simulation as a Tool for Feasibility Studies about PIP‐SEC Experiments

Advanced homo‐ and copolymerization models have been used to perform a feasibility study on the potential of pulse‐initiated polymerization (PIP) experiments for ethene (co)polymerizations. An application of PIP experiments directly to the ethene homo‐polymerization appears not as a very promising strategy to derive the homo‐propagation rate coefficient k_p of ethene. This failure can be attributed to the special characteristics of high temperature size exclusion chromatographs, being required to determine the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polyethylene. PI copolymerizations appear as an interesting alternative to provide access to the homo‐propagation rate coefficient of ethene. Most advantageous in this strategy is the fact that even a simple convergence contemplation (using a variation in monomer composition) yields the ethene homo‐propagation rate coefficient k_p. Simply aiming at this coefficient, there is no necessity of knowing the detailed kinetic parameters of the copolymerization. In a further part, the extended kinetic information being available about branching processes in ethene polymerizations was used to test for the potential influence of a slower propagation rate of secondary macroradicals on the PIP structure in MWDs. Even at the significant level of branching present in ethene homopolymerizations still a PIP structure inside the MWD remains observable, assuming retardation up to an extend of almost two orders of magnitude. In order to perform these studies a kinetic model was designed explicitly accounting for the formation of secondary macroradicals by transfer. The kinetic information about branching being available in literature was adopted toward this scheme.     

Initiation and termination kinetics in fluid-phase free-radical polymerization up to high pressure

Rate coefficients of peroxyester decomposition in solution of n-heptane have been measured as a function of temperature and pressure. The data is used to determine initiator efficiencies for the ethene high-pressure polymerization. The efficiency strongly depends on the structure of the peroxyester. Free-radical termination rate coefficients of (meth)acrylate systems have been studied up to about 50% monomer conversion. The reaction is controlled by segmental diffusion in the early period and by reaction diffusion at later stages of the polymerization.     

1-Lithio-2,2-diphenyl-1-(phenylsulfonyl)ethen: Synthese und Kristallstruktur

Syntheses and Crystal Structure of 1-Lithio-2,2-diphenyl-1-(phenylsulfonyl)ethene Crystals of [1-lithio-2,2-diphenyl-1-(phenylsulfonyl)ethene]– N,N,N′,N′ -tetramethylethylenediamine (2/2) ( 2 ) were prepared by addition of BuLi to 1,1-diphenyl-2-(phenylsulfonyl)ethene ( 1 ) in the presence of N,N,N′,N′ -tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) at low temperature. The X-ray structure analysis shows a centrosymmetric dimer bridged over an eight-membered (Li? O? S? O)₂ ring. There are no Li–C contacts to the C(α) atoms. Both Li cations are tetracoordinated via the sulfonyl O-atoms and the N-atoms of the TMEDA ligand. The X-ray structure analysis of 1,1-diphenyl-2-(phenylsulfonyl)ethene ( 1 ) also was determined to compare interatomic distances and angles.     

(1E)‐2‐(Di­acetyl­amino)‐1‐methyl­prop‐­1‐enyl acetate

The analysis of the title compound, C₁₀H₁₅NO₄, firmly establishes the configuration of the double bond as E, a stereochemistry that had been assigned tentatively by other methods. The di­acetyl­amine and acetate substituents are approximately coplanar to one another, but approximately perpendicular to the planar ethene core. H atoms of the ethene methyl substituents are found within the ethene plane, indicating that hyperconjugation does not play an important role in stabilizing the double bond.     

Co- and terpolymerizations of ethene and α-olefins with metallocenes

The suitability of the (n-butCp)₂ZrCl₂/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalyst system for the copolymerization of ethene with propene, hexene, and hexadecene was studied and Ind₂ZrCl₂/MAO was tested as a catalyst for ethene/propene and ethene/hexene copolymerizations. The synergistic effect of longer α-olefin on propene incorporation in ethene/propene/hexene and ethene/propene/hexadecene terpolymerizations was investigated with Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂MAO and (n-butCp)₂ZrCl₂/MAO catalyst systems. The molar masses, molar mass distributions, melting points, and densities of the products were measured. The incorporation of comonomer in the chain was further studied by segregation fractionation techniques (SFT), by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), studying the β relaxations by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and by studying the microstructure of some copolymers by ¹³C-NMR. In this study (n-butCp)₂ZrCl₂ and Ind₂ZrCl₂ exhibited equal response in copolymerization of ethene and propene and both catalysts were more active towards propene than longer α-olefins. A nearly identical incorporation of propene in the chain was found for the two catalysts when a higher propene feed was used. A lower hexene feed gave a more homogeneous comonomer distribution curve than a higher hexene feed and also showed the presence of branching. In terpolymerizations catalyzed with (n-butCp)₂ZrCl₂, the hexadecene concentrations of the ethene/propene/hexadecene terpolymers were always very low, and only traces of hexene were detected in ethene/propene/hexene terpolymers. With hexene no clear synergistic effect on the propene incorporation in the terpolymer was detected and with hexadecene the effect of the longer α-olefin was even slightly negative. With an Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂/MAO catalyst system both hexene and hexadecene were incorporated in the chain in the terpolymerizations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

α,β-Unsaturated α′-Halomethylsulfones: Prepackaged Ramberg–Bäcklund Reagents for Tandem Synthetic Processes

Abstract

The synthesis and reactions of several α,β-unsaturated chloromethyl sulfones are presented, for example [(chloromethyl) sulfonyl]-1,3-propadiene, [(chloromethyl) sulfonyl]ethene, [(dichloromethyl)sulfonyl]ethene and (E,Z)-1,2-bis[(chloromethyl)sulfonyl]ethene. These compounds serve as “prepackaged” Ramberg–Bäcklund reagents, which, following an appropriate first step, such as Diels–Alder addition, react with a base, giving Ramberg–Bäcklund products.     

One step formation of propene from ethene or ethanol through metathesis on nickel ion-loaded silica

Increased propene production is presently one of the most significant objectives in petroleum chemistry. Especially the one-step conversion of ethene to propene (ETP reaction, 3C?H? →2C?H?) is the most desired process. In our efforts, nickel ion-loaded mesoporous silica could turn a new type of ETP reaction into reality. The one-step conversion of ethene was 68% and the propene selectivity was 48% in a continuous gas-flow system at 673 K and atmospheric pressure. The reactivity of lower olefins and the dependences of the ETP reaction on the contact time and the partial pressure of ethene were consistent with a reaction mechanism involving dimerization of ethene to 1-butene, isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene, and metathesis of 2-butene and ethene to yield propene. The reaction was then expanded to an ethanol-to-propene reaction on the same catalyst, in which two possible reaction routes are suggested to form ethene from ethanol. The catalysts were characterized mainly by EXAFS and TPR techniques. The local structures of the nickel species active for the ETP reaction were very similar to that of layered nickel silicate, while those on the inert catalysts were the same as that of NiO particles.     

Differential pressure-jump method for routine measurement of sorption kinetics

A sensitive pressure-jump method has been developed for the measurement and characterization of material transport in porous solids. The apparatus is automatically operated and the data evaluation is performed by means of numerical methods based on the Crank-Nicholson procedure. As an example, the sorption ofn-butane and ethene in spherical mesoporous silica gel pellets has been studied. In this way, it is possible to obtain uptake curves and in case of known particle shape to derive values for effective diffusion coefficients. From the pressure and temperature dependence ofD _e , information on the transport mechanism by means of Knudsen and surface diffusion can be obtained as well as the tortuosity factor characterizing the pore network.     

Polymerization of olefins with a novel dinuclear ansa-zirconocene catalyst having a biphenyl bridge

Both the rac- and meso-dinuclear ansa-zirconocene catalysts (μ-C₁₂H₈{[SiPh(Ind)₂]ZrCl₂}₂) were prepared by a coupling reaction between 2 equiv of diindenylphenylchlorosilane (rac- and meso-isomers) and 1 equiv of p-dilithiobiphenyl in diethyl ether at −80°C, followed by a successive reaction with ZrCl₄ · 2THF in THF at −78°C. Polymerizations of ethene and propene were conducted in a 1 dm³ high-pressure glass reactor equipped with a mechanical stirrer at 60, 80, 100, 120, and 150°C using methylalumoxane (MAO) as cocatalyst and toluene or decahydronaphthalene as the solvent. Copolymerization of ethene and 1-octene was also checked in brief. For ethene polymerization, the meso-catalyst was found to be more active, which displayed an extremely high activity to give linear polyethene with a high molecular weight and a narrow molar mass distribution (MMD). The apparent activity increased monotonously with rising polymerization temperature from 60°C up to 150°C, indicating that the active species are stable even at a high temperature. On the other hand, both the rac- and meso-catalysts showed very poor activities for propene polymerization. However, copolymerization of ethene and 1-octene proceeded at a high speed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. A Polym. Chem. 36: 2269–2274, 1998     

An Empirical Proton NMR Shielding Equation for Alkenes Based on Ab Initio Calculations

Nuclei of hydrogen atoms located over a carbon-carbon double bond in the presence of a strong magnetic field experience a perturbed magnetic field caused primarily by the magnetic anisotropy of the bond. However, the commonly used theoretical model for predicting the shielding effect of an alkene double bond on hydrogen nuclei is sometimes inconsistent with the observed proton NMR chemical shifts in structures that have covalently bonded hydrogens located over a carbon-carbon double bond. We have used the ab initio gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method to calculate isotropic shielding values and to determine the proton NMR shielding increments for a simple model system: methane held at various positions over ethene. These shielding increments calculated for one proton of methane have been mapped as a function of their position in Cartesian coordinates relative to the center of ethene. A mathematical function has been fit to this three-dimensional shielding increment surface at each of four distances from the face of the ethene molecule. Additionally, a single mathematical equation has been developed for predicting the shielding caused by the carbon-carbon double bond in ethene. In contrast to the traditionally employed shielding model, our results predict deshielding for protons within 3 Å above the center of a carbon-carbon double bond, consistent with experimental observations in several molecular systems. The NMR shielding increments predicted by this equation are compared to observed shielding increments in some test alkenes.     

Metallocene-catalyzed ethene/styrene co- and terpolymerization with olefinic termonomers

Ethene was co- and terpolymerized with 1-octene and styrene using the methylalumoxane (MAO) activated halfsandwich metallocene Me₂Si(Me₄Cp)(N-t.-butyl)TiCl₂(Cp = cyclopentadienyl, Me = methyl) as catalyst. At temperatures of 40 and 60°C styrene concentration was varied in order to investigate the influence of the comonomers. Despite decreasing the overall activity with respect to ethene/1-octene copolymerization, polymerization activity was found to exibit a relative maximum with increasing styrene concentration. An explanation is given taking two different comonomer effects into account. Low styrene concentration promoted higher 1-octene incorporation compared to ethene/1-octene copolymerization but significantly lowered the molecular weight of the terpolymers. With constant ethene and 1-octene concentration it was possible to produce ethene/1-octene/styrene terpolymers with styrene content varying from 0 to 25 mol % and 1-octene content varying from 8 to 21 mol %. All terpolymers were amorphous. With constant ethene content it was found possible to vary their glass transition temperature with 1-octene/styrene molar ratio incorporated in the terpolymer. ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic microstructure analysis showed that no styrene/1-octene sequences were found in the terpolymer backbone. Furthermore terpolymerizations were conducted successfully incorporating norbornene, 1,5-hexadiene and propene as monomers in terpolymertization with ethene and styrene. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 2549–2560, 1997     

Rate constants for ozone–alkene reactions under atmospheric conditions

By measuring the rates of decay of ozone in a large excess of reactant, second-order rate constants have been obtained for the reactions of ozone with ethene, propene, but-1-ene, trans-but-2-ene, isobutene, hex-1-ene, cyclopentene, cyclohexene, isoprene, vinyl fluoride, 1,1-difluoroethene, cis-1,2-difluoroethene, trans-1,2-difluoroethene, trifluoroethene, tetrafluoroethene, and 2,5? dihydrofuran. The reactions have been studied in synthetic air at atmospheric pressure and at temperatures of 294 and 260 K. The rate constants and Arrhenius parameters are discussed in relation to existing kinetic data on ozone–alkene reactions.     

Solid‐State Photodimerization of 1,2‐Bis(5′‐pyrimidyl)ethene

The photodimerization of 1,2‐bis(5′‐pyrimidyl)ethene in the solid state is reported. Photolysis of the crystalline solid formed on self‐assembly of 1,2‐bis(5′‐pyrimidyl)ethene and C‐methylcalix[4]resorcinarene and photolysis of the solid recystallized from dichloromethane yielded cis‐anti‐cis‐1,2,3,4‐tetrakis(5′‐pyrimidyl)cyclobutane as the only product. Single‐crystal X‐ray analysis of each of these solids confirms that the alkenes are π‐stacked, colinear, and separated by less than 4.2 Å.     

Role of cluster size in catalysis: spectroscopic investigation of gamma-Al2O3-supported Ir4 and Ir6 during ethene hydrogenation

gamma-Al(2)O(3)-supported Ir(4) and Ir(6) were prepared by decarbonylation of tetra- and hexanuclear iridium carbonyls, respectively, and compared as catalysts for ethene hydrogenation at atmospheric pressure and temperatures in the range 273-300 K. Rates of the reaction were determined along with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and IR spectra characterizing the clusters in the working catalysts. EXAFS data show that the Ir(4) and Ir(6) cluster frames remained intact during catalysis. Di-sigma-bonded ethene and pi-bonded ethene on the clusters were identified by IR spectroscopy and found to compete as the principal reaction intermediates, with the former predominating at ethene partial pressures less than about 200 Torr and the latter at higher ethene partial pressures. Hydrogen on the clusters is inferred to form by dissociative adsorption of H(2); alternatively, it is provided by OH groups of the support. The rate of ethene hydrogenation on Ir(4) is typically several times greater than that on Ir(6).     

In situ FT-IR studies on mechanistics of heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation of ethene over uranyl species anchored on MCM-41

The uranyl species encapsulated within the mesopores of siliceous MCM-41 serves as efficient heterogeneous photo-catalyst for the sunlight-assisted direct oxidation of ethene. The mode of oxidation is through abstraction of H-atom from ethene by the photolytically excited uranyl species and the consequent formation of peroxy species. The in situ IR spectroscopy results indicate that these peroxy species give rise to final products such as carbon dioxide and water on further oxidation via formation of formate-type transient species. Furthermore, the silanol groups of the host matrix help in immobilization of these peroxy species through hydrogen bonding and, at the same time, they participate in the subsequent oxidation reactions also.     

Gas phase kinetic and thermochemical data for endo- and exo-5-monosubstituted bicyclo[2.2.2]Oct-2-Enes

The thermal reactions of endo- and exo-5-Y bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-enes (NYBO and XYBO) where Y = methyl, ethyl, and isopropyl have been studied in the gas phase between 567 and 695 K. For both isomers they are parallel first-order retro-Diels-Alder reactions with elimination of ethene (E) and monosubstituted ethene (YE).The observed Arrhenius parameters are used to discuss the mechanism and to estimate the heats of formation and the entropies of NYBO and XYBO. Group values are proposed for estimation of these thermochemical data for compounds of the same type by means of the methods of Benson.     

High Ethene/Ethane Selectivity in 2,2′‐Bipyridine‐Based Silver(I) Complexes by Removal of Coordinated Solvent

Following removal of coordinated CH₃CN, the resulting complexes [Ag^I(2,2′‐bipyridine)][BF₄] ( 1 ) and [Ag^I(6,6′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine)][OTf] ( 2 ) show ethene/ethane sorption selectivities of 390 and 340, respectively, and corresponding ethene sorption capacities of 2.38 and 2.18 mmol g^?1 when tested at an applied gas pressure of 90 kPa and a temperature of (20±1) °C. These ethene/ethane selectivities are 13 times higher than those reported for known solid sorbents for ethene/ethane separation. For 2 , ethene sorption reached 90 % of equilibrium capacity within 15 minutes, and this equilibrium capacity was maintained over the three sorption/desorption cycles tested. The rates of ethene sorption were also measured. To our knowledge, these are the first complexes, designed for olefin/paraffin separations, which have open silver(I) sites. The high selectivities arise from these open silver(I) sites and the relatively low molecular surface areas of the complexes.     

Pressure and trimethylaluminum effects on ethene/1‐hexene copolymerization with methylaluminoxane‐activated (1,2,4‐Me3Cp)2ZrCl2: Trimethylaluminum suppression of standard termination reactions after 1‐hexene insertion

Ethene homopolymerizations and copolymerizations with 1‐hexene were catalyzed by methylaluminoxane‐activated (1,2,4‐Me₃Cp)₂ZrCl₂. Investigations of the effects of various pressures on the homopolymerizations and copolymerizations and of the effects of different concentrations of trimethylaluminum (TMA) on the copolymerizations were performed. The characteristics of the ethene/1‐hexene copolymers agreed with expectations for changes in the ethene concentration: the incorporation of 1‐hexene decreased, whereas the melting point and crystallinity increased, with increasing pressure. The main termination mechanism of the homopolymerizations was β‐hydrogen transfer to the monomer. Termination mechanisms resulting in vinylidene unsaturations dominated in the copolymerizations. Standard termination mechanisms producing vinyl and trans‐vinylene unsaturations occurred in parallel and were not influenced by the ethene or TMA concentration. In addition, some chain transfer to TMA, producing saturated end groups after hydrolysis, occurred. Copolymerizations with different additions of TMA, with the other polymerization conditions kept constant, showed that the catalytic productivity [tons of polyethylene/(mol of Zr h)], the 1‐hexene incorporation, and the molecular weight (from gel permeation chromatography) were independent of the TMA concentration. Surprisingly, the vinylidene content decreased almost linearly with increasing TMA concentration. TMA might have coordinated to the catalytic site after 1‐hexene insertion and rotation to the β‐agostic state and, therefore, suppressed the standard termination reactions after 1‐hexene insertion. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2584–2597, 2005