Novel polymer‐supported β‐dithioketonate nickel catalysts for selective propylene dimerization

Brominated and chloromethylated styrene–divinylbenzene resins were used for the synthesis of polymer‐bound dithio‐β‐diketones, obtained by anchoring the chelate ligand through the central position. The heterogenized dithio‐β‐diketone ligand was subsequently reacted either as sodium salt with a Ni(II) phosphino derivative or directly with a Ni(0) complex in the presence of a free phosphine and activated in situ with an aluminum co‐catalyst for the selective dimerization of propylene to 2,3‐dimethylbutenes. The hetetogenized catalysts so obtained showed, particulary when prepared starting from chloromethylated styrene/divinylbenzene resins, very high activity and selectivity towards 2,3‐dimethylbutenes. Moreover, the above catalysts, at least under the adopted reaction conditions, did not display any appreciable metal leaching during the catalytic cycle, thus working as really heterogeneous systems. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

η3-Allylnickel alkoxides and their use as homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for the dimerization of olefins

η³-Allylnickel alkoxides {η³-C₃H₅NiOR}₂ (R = Me, Et, i-Pr, Ph, SiPh₃) may be activated by gaseous boron trifluoride (BF₃) to give active catalysts for the dimerization of propene in homogeneous phase. In CH₂Cl₂ at ?20 °C catalytic turnover numbers of 5000 mol propene(mol Ni)^?1h^?1 were measured. The nature of the OR group influences both the catalytic activity and the oligomerization product distribution. The ratio of methylpentenes to dimethylbutenes in the dimer fraction may be controlled by the presence of additional phosphine ligands at the nickel atom. The nickel alkoxide precursor was heterogenized on alumina to give {Al₂O₃}–O–Ni–(η³-C₃H₅). Subsequent activation using gaseous BF₃ generates a powerful heterogeneous olefin dimerization catalyst which converts 50 × 10³ mol propene (mol Ni)^?1 at ?10° to ?5°C in a batchwise process and 143 × 10³ mol propene (mol Ni)^?1 continuously to give 75% dimers and 25% higher oligomers. The solvent-free treatment of oxide supports, e.g. alumina or silica, with gaseous BF₃ produces strong ‘solid acids’. The activated hydroxyl groups on the support surface serve as effective anchor sites for organometallic complexes to form heterogenous catalysts. By reaction of Ni(cod)₂ with {Al₂O₃}O(BF₃)H or {SiO₂}O(BF₃)H, η¹, η²-cyclo-octenylnickel–O fragments may be fixed to the surface. In the absence of halogenated solvents, the resulting catalysts, e.g. {SiO₂}O–(BF₃)–Ni–(η¹, η²-C₈H₁₃), dimerize propene continuously at +5°C at the rate of 800 × 10³ mol liquid propene (mol Ni)^?1.     

Large‐ring P/O chelate nickel complex catalyzed oligomerization of ethylene to linear α‐olefins

1,1‐(Bicyclononyl‐9‐phosphino)hendecanoic acid and potassium 1,1‐(biscyclohexylphosphino)­hendecylate were synthesized. A model nickel complex [η³−C₈H₁₃]Ni[(C₈H₁₄)P(CH₂)₁₀COO] containing a 14‐membered chelate ring was also synthesized. The catalytic activity of this large chelate ring nickel complex for the oligomerization of ethylene was studied and compared with that of six‐membered ring chelate nickel complexes. The influence of the chelate ring was rationalized in terms of intramolecular rotation. The 14‐membered ring P/O chelate nickel complex was shown to have efficient catalytic activity for the oligomerization of ethylene to α‐olefins. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

catena‐Poly[potassium [copper(II)‐μ‐isothiocyanato‐μ‐N‐salicylidene‐β‐alaninato(2–)]]

The title polymeric compound, catena‐poly­[dipotassium [bis­[μ‐N‐salicyl­idene‐β‐alaninato(2−)]‐κ⁴O,N,O′:O′′;κ⁴O′′:O,N,O′‐dicopper(II)]‐di‐μ‐iso­thio­cyanato‐κ²N:S;κ²S:N], {K[Cu(NCS)(C₁₀H₉NO₃)]}_n, consists of [iso­thio­cyanato(N‐salicyl­idene‐β‐alaninato)copper(II)]⁻ anions connected through the two three‐atom thio­cyanate (μ‐NCS) and the two anti,anti‐μ‐­carboxyl­ate bridges into infinite one‐dimensional polymeric anions, with coulombically interacting K⁺ counter‐ions with coordination number 7 constrained between the chains. The Cu^II atoms adopt a distorted tetragonal–bipyramidal coordination, with three donor atoms of the tridentate Schiff base and one N atom of the bridging μ‐NCS ligand in the basal plane. The first axial position is occupied by a thio­cyanate S atom of a symmetry‐related μ‐NCS ligand at an apical distance of 2.9770 (8) Å, and the second position is occupied by an O atom of a bridging carboxyl­ate group from an adjacent coordination unit at a distance of 2.639 (2) Å.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Ruthenium 2‐Alkyl‐6‐mercaptophenolate Catalysts for Olefin Metathesis

A series of ruthenium carbene catalysts containing 2‐sulfidophenolate bidentate ligand with an ortho‐substituent next to the oxygen atom were synthesized. The molecular structure of ruthenium carbene complex containing 2‐isopropyl‐6‐sulfidophenolate ligand was confirmed through single crystal X‐ray diffraction. An oxygen atom can be found in the opposite position of the N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) based on the steric hindrance and strong trans‐effects of the NHC ligand. The ruthenium carbene catalyst can catalyze ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) reaction of norbornene with high activity and Z‐selectivity and cross metathesis (CM) reactions of terminal alkenes with (Z)‐but‐2‐ene‐1,4‐diol to give Z‐olefin products (Z/E ratios, 70:30–89:11) in low yields (13%–38%). When AlCl₃ was added into the CM reactions, yields (51%–88%) were considerably improved and process becomes highly selective for E‐olefin products (E/Z ratios, 79:21–96:4). Similar to other ruthenium carbene catalysts, these new complexes can tolerate different functional groups.     

GM1 Ganglioside Inhibits β‐Amyloid Oligomerization Induced by Sphingomyelin

β‐Amyloid (Aβ) oligomers are neurotoxic and implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Neuronal plasma membranes may mediate formation of Aβ oligomers in vivo. Membrane components sphingomyelin and GM₁ have been shown to promote aggregation of Aβ; however, these studies were performed under extreme, non‐physiological conditions. We demonstrate that physiological levels of GM₁, organized in nanodomains do not seed oligomerization of Aβ₄₀ monomers. We show that sphingomyelin triggers oligomerization of Aβ₄₀ and that GM₁ is counteractive thus preventing oligomerization. We propose a molecular explanation that is supported by all‐atom molecular dynamics simulations. The preventive role of GM₁ in the oligomerization of Aβ₄₀ suggests that decreasing levels of GM₁ in the brain, for example, due to aging, could reduce protection against Aβ oligomerization and contribute to the onset of Alzheimer's disease.     

Structure and Isotope Effects of the β‐H Agostic (α‐Diimine)Nickel Cation as a Polymerization Intermediate

Single‐crystal X‐ray characterization of cationic (α‐diimine)Ni‐ethyl and isopropyl β‐agostic complexes, which are key intermediates in olefin polymerization and oligomerization, are presented. The sharp Ni‐C_α‐C_β angles (75.0(3)° and 74.57(18)°) and short C_α−C_β distances (1.468(7) and 1.487(5) Å) provide unambiguous evidence for a β‐agostic interaction. An inverse equilibrium isotope effect (EIE) for ligand coordination upon cleavage of the agostic bond highlights the weaker bond strength of Ni−H relative to the C−H bond. An Eyring plot for β‐hydride elimination–olefin rotation–reinsertion is constructed from variable‐temperature NMR spectra with ¹³C‐labeled agostic complexes. The enthalpy of activation (ΔH ^≠) for β‐H elimination is 13.2 kcal mol⁻¹. These results offer important mechanistic insight into two critical steps in polymerization: ligand association upon cleavage of the β‐agostic bonds and chain‐migration via β‐H elimination.     

Styrene polymerization in the presence of the CpTiCl3/Al2O3–SiO2/MAO catalytic system

Syndiotactic polymerization of styrene in the presence of heterogenized hemititanocene catalysts CpTiCl₃/Al₂O₃–SiO₂/MAO (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; MAO = methylaluminoxane) showed that the yield and selectivity of this reaction depend on the support composition, i.e. on the Al₂O₃ content in the support. The most active catalysts contained Al₂O₃ in a quantity of 50 to 70 wt%. Despite a relatively lower selectivity of 75–59%, the amount of syndiotactic polystyrene in the presence of those catalysts was the greatest. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation of α,β‐Unsaturated Nitriles with Base‐Activated Iridium N,P Ligand Complexes

Although many chiral catalysts are known that allow highly enantioselective hydrogenation of a wide range of olefins, no suitable catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles have been reported so far. We have found that Ir N,P ligand complexes, which under normal conditions do not show any reactivity towards α,β‐unsaturated nitriles, become highly active catalysts upon addition of N,N‐diisopropylethylamine. The base‐activated catalysts enable conjugate reduction of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles with H₂ at low catalyst loadings, affording the corresponding saturated nitriles with high conversion and excellent enantioselectivity. In contrast, alkenes lacking a conjugated cyano group do not react under these conditions, making it possible to selectively reduce the conjugated C?C bond of an α,β‐unsaturated nitrile, while leaving other types of C?C bonds in the molecule intact.     

Poly[[[(1,2‐η)‐benzene]silver(I)]‐μ‐trifluoromethanesulfonate‐O;O′;O′′:O′′]

The title compound, [Ag(CF₃O₃S)(C₆H₆)], has been synthesized and characterized by low‐temperature single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The complex is polymeric, with a network of tri­fluoro­methane­sulfonate anions bridging the silver cations. The terminal planar benzene ligand is asymmetrically η²‐coordinated to the Ag.     

catena‐Poly[[[2,4‐dichloro‐6‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethyl­iminomethyl)phenolato]copper(II)]‐μ‐thio­cyanato]

The title complex, [Cu(C₁₃H₉Cl₂N₂O)(NCS)]_n, is a novel thio­cyanate‐bridged polynuclear copper(II) compound. The Cu^II atom is five‐coordinated in a square‐pyramidal configuration, with one O and two N atoms of one Schiff base ligand and one terminal N atom of a bridging thio­cyanate ligand defining the basal plane, and one terminal S atom of another bridging thio­cyanate ligand occupying the axial position. The [2,4‐dichloro‐6‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethyl­imino­methyl)­phenolato]­copper(II) moieties are linked by the bridging thio­cyanate ligands, forming polymeric chains running along the a axis.     

catena‐Poly[[dicyanamido(5,5′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ2N,N′)copper(II)]‐μ‐dicyanamido‐κ2N1:N5]

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [Cu(C₂N₃)₂(C₁₂H₁₂N₂)]_n, the Cu^II atom adopts a distorted square‐pyramidal geometry, the basal plane of which is formed by two N atoms of the bi­pyridine ligand, one N atom of a bidentate dicyan­amide anion and one N atom of a monodentate dicyan­amide anion [Cu—N = 1.9760 (15)–2.0157 (15) Å]. The apical position is occupied by an N atom of a bidentate dicyan­amide anion, located 2.2468 (16) Å from the Cu atom, thus forming a one‐dimensional polymeric chain.     

Molekül‐ und Kristallstruktur von Bis[chloro(μ‐phenylimido)(η5‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)tantal(IV)](Ta–Ta), [{TaCl(μ‐NPh)Cp*}2]

Molecular and Crystal Structure of Bis[chloro(μ‐phenylimido)(η⁵‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)tantalum(IV)](Ta–Ta), [{TaCl(μ‐NPh)Cp*}₂] Despite the steric hindrance of the central atom in [TaCl₂(NPh)Cp*] (Ph = C₆H₅, Cp* = η⁵‐C₅(CH₃)₅), caused by the Cp* ligand, the imido‐ligand takes a change in bond structure when this educt is reduced to the binuclear complex [{TaCl(μ‐NPh)Cp*}₂] in which tantalum is stabilized in the unusual oxidation state +4.     

Nucleo‐β‐Amino Acids: Synthesis and Oligomerization to β‐Homoalanyl‐PNA

The synthesis of thyminyl‐, uracilyl‐, cytosinyl‐, and guaninyl‐β³‐amino acids and the oligomerization of the cytosinyl‐ and guaninyl‐β³‐amino acids to β‐homoalanyl‐PNA are presented. The pyrimidinyl nucleobases were connected to the γ‐position of β‐homoalanine by Mitsunobu reaction with a β‐homoserine derivative or by nucleophilic substitution of methanesulfonates. For the preparation of the guaninyl‐β³‐amino acid, a β‐lactam route was established that might be of interest also for the synthesis of other β³‐amino acid derivatives. The cytosinyl and guaninyl building blocks were oligomerized to hexamers. They form quite stable self‐pairing complexes in H₂O as indicated by temperature dependent UV and CD spectroscopy.     

Cationic copolymerization of β-pinene and epichlorohydrin

β-Pinene and epichlorohydrin (ECH) have been copolymerized cationically using BF₃(C₂H₅)₂O and SnCl₄ as catalysts. Polymerizations were carried out at ?80°C in methylenechloride. Monomer reactivity ratios were determined in both catalysts which were r₁(ECH) = 1.06 ± 0.15 and r₂ (β-pinene) = 0.32 ± 0.08 in BF₃(C₂H₅)₂O and r₁(ECH) = 0.33 ± 0.11 and r₂(β-pinene) = 2.03 ± 0.44 in SnCl₄. Copolymers of different composition were soluble in acetone and insoluble in methanol. This characteristic was taken to indicate that the polymeric products were real copolymers and not a mixture of two homopolymers of epichlorohydrin and β-pinene.     

catena‐Poly­[[di‐μ‐benzoato‐κ4O:O′‐disilver(I)]‐μ‐N,N′‐bis(2‐fluoro­benzyl­idene)­butane‐1,4‐di­amine‐κ2N:N′]

The title complex, [Ag₂(C₇H₅O₂)₂(C₁₈H₁₈F₂N₂)]_n, is a dinuclear silver(I) compound with one inversion centre between pairs of Ag atoms and another at the mid‐point of the central C—C bond in the butane‐1,4‐diamine moiety. Each of the smallest repeat units consists of two silver(I) cations, two benzoate anions and one N,N′‐bis(2‐fluorobenzyl­idene)­butane‐1,4‐di­amine Schiff base ligand. Each Ag^I ion is three‐coordinated in a trigonal configuration by two O atoms from two benzoate anions and one N atom from a Schiff base ligand. The di‐μ‐benzoato‐disilver(I) moieties are linked by the bridging Schiff base ligand, giving zigzag polymeric chains with an [–Ag⋯Ag—N—C—C—C—C—N–]_n backbone running along the b axis.     

Efficient Cluster‐Based Catalysts for Asymmetric Hydrogenation of α‐Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids

The new clusters [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₀(μ‐1,2‐P‐P)], [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₀(1,1‐P‐P)] and [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₁(P‐P)] (P‐P=chiral diphosphine of the ferrocene‐based Josiphos or Walphos ligand families) have been synthesised and characterised. The crystal and molecular structures of eleven clusters reveal that the coordination modes of the diphosphine in the [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₀(μ‐1,2‐P‐P)] clusters are different for the Josiphos and the Walphos ligands. The Josiphos ligands bridge a metal–metal bond of the ruthenium tetrahedron in the “conventional” manner, that is, with both phosphine moieties coordinated in equatorial positions relative to a triangular face of the tetrahedron, whereas the phosphine moieties of the Walphos ligands coordinate in one axial and one equatorial position. The differences in the ligand size and the coordination mode between the two types of ligands appear to be reflected in a relative propensity for isomerisation; in solution, the [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₀(1,1‐Walphos)] clusters isomerise to the corresponding [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₀(μ‐1,2‐Walphos)] clusters, whereas the Josiphos‐containing clusters show no tendency to isomerisation in solution. The clusters have been tested as catalysts for asymmetric hydrogenation of four prochiral α‐unsaturated carboxylic acids and the prochiral methyl ester (E)‐methyl 2‐methylbut‐2‐enoate. High conversion rates (>94 %) and selectivities of product formation were observed for almost all catalysts/catalyst precursors. The observed enantioselectivities were low or nonexistent for the Josiphos‐containing clusters and catalyst (cluster) recovery was low, suggesting that cluster fragmentation takes place. On the other hand, excellent conversion rates (99–100 %), product selectivities (99–100 % in most cases) and good enantioselectivities, reaching 90 % enantiomeric excess (ee) in certain cases, were observed for the Walphos‐containing clusters, and the clusters could be recovered in good yield after completed catalysis. Results from high‐pressure NMR and IR studies, catalyst poisoning tests and comparison of catalytic properties of two [H₄Ru₄(CO)₁₀(μ‐1,2‐P‐P)] clusters (P‐P=Walphos ligands) with the analogous mononuclear catalysts [Ru(P‐P)(carboxylato)₂] suggest that these clusters may be the active catalytic species, or direct precursors of an active catalytic cluster species.     

α‐Amino acid: an effective ligand for asymmetric catalysis of transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Ruthenium complexes, prepared by mixing the potassium salt of α‐amino acids and [RuCl₂(arene)]₂, acted as catalysts for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones from 2‐propanol in the presence of KOH. For example, the transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone from 2‐propanol was catalyzed effectively by the ruthenium complex prepared from potassium L ‐prolinate and [RuCl₂(p‐cymene)]₂ to give (R)‐1‐phenylethanol in 72% yield with 81% ee. The yields and enantioselectivities of the product were influenced strongly by the structure of the α‐amino acidate ligand, arene ligand, and substrate, by the amount of additional base, and by the concentration of the substrates. The best enantiomeric excesses of the products was 92%, when 1‐tetralone was subjected to this reaction using a prolinated ruthenium complex bearing p‐cymene. Furthermore, the potassium salts of dipeptides were tested as a ligand for this transfer hydrogenation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

catena‐Poly­[[[aqua(2‐methyl‐4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐3‐olato‐κO3,O4)copper(II)]‐μ‐chloro] monohydrate]

In the title complex, {[Cu(C₆H₅O₃)Cl(H₂O)]·H₂O}_n, the Cu^II atom has a deformed square‐pyramidal coordination geometry formed by two O atoms of the maltolate ligand, two bridging Cl atoms and the coordinated water O atom. The Cu atoms are bridged by Cl atoms to form a polymeric chain. The deprotonated hydroxyl and ketone O atoms of the maltolate ligand form a five‐membered chelate ring with the Cu atom. Stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds exist in the crystal.