Direct observation of insertion events at rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(MeB(C6F5)3)-polymeryl intermediates: distinction between continuous and intermittent propagation modes

The propagating species for 1-hexene, propene, and ethene polymerization as catalyzed by [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(CH3)][CH3B(C6F5)3] has been intercepted at T < -40 degrees C and characterized by NMR methods. Observation of the propagating species permits direct monitoring of initiation, propagation, and termination processes by NMR. Detailed examination of alkene incorporation into Zr-polymeryl species using 13C-labeled 1-alkenes supports a continuous insertion mechanism whereby the anion re-coordinates after each alkene insertion.     

The effect of AlR3 on propylene polymerization by rac‐(EBI)Zr(NMe2)2/AlR3/[CPh3][B(C6F5)4] catalyst

Ansa‐zirconocene diamide complex rac‐(EBI)Zr(NMe₂)₂ [rac‐1, EBI = ethylene‐1,2‐bis(1‐indenyl)] reacted with AlR₃ (R = Me, Et, iBu) or Al(iBu₂)H and then with [CPh₃][B(C₆F₅)₄] (2) in toluene in order to perform propylene polymerization by cationic alkylzirconium species, which are in situ generated during polymerization. Through the sequential NMR‐scale reactions of rac‐1 with AlR₃ or Al(iBu₂)H and then with 2, rac‐1 was demonstrated to be transformed to the active alkyzirconium cations via alkylated intermediates of rac‐1. The cationic species generated by using AlMe₃, AlEt₃, and Al(iBu₂)H as alkylating reagents tend to become heterodinuclear complex; however, those by using bulky Al(iBu)₃ become base‐free [rac‐(EBI)Zr(iBu)]⁺ cations. The activity of propylene polymerization by rac‐1/AlR₃/2 catalyst was deeply influenced by various parameters such as the amount and the type of AlR₃, metallocene concentration, [Al]/[2] ratio, and polymerization temperature. Generally the catalytic systems using bulky alkylaluminum like Al(iBu)₃ and Al(iBu)₂H show higher activity but lower stereoregularity than those using less bulky AlMe₃ and AlEt₃. The alkylating reagent Al(iBu)₃ is not a transfer agent as good as AlMe₃ or AlEt₃. The polymerization activities show maximum around [Al]/[2] ratio of 1.0 and increase monotonously with polymerization temperature. The overall activation energy of both rac‐1/Al(iBu)₃/2 and rac‐1/Al(iBu)₂H catalysts is 6.0 kcal/mol. As the polymerization temperature increases, the stereoregularity of the resulting polymer decreases markedly, which is demonstrated by the decrease of [mmmm] pentad value and by the increase of the amount of polymer soluble in low boiling solvent. The physical properties of polymers produced in this study were investigated by using ¹³C‐NMR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), viscometry, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1523–1539, 1999     

Kinetics of initiation, propagation, and termination for the [rac-(C(2)H(4)(1-indenyl)(2))ZrMe][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)]-catalyzed polymerization of 1-hexene.

Metallocene-catalyzed polymerization of 1-alkenes offers fine control of critical polymer attributes such as molecular weight, polydispersity, tacticity, and comonomer incorporation. Enormous effort has been expended on the synthesis and discovery of new catalysts and activators, but elementary aspects of the catalytic processes remain unclear. For example, it is unclear how the catalyst is distributed among active and dormant sites and how this distribution influences the order in monomer for the propagation rates, for which widely varying values are reported. Similarly, although empirical relationships between average molecular weights and monomer have been established for many systems, the underlying mechanisms of chain termination are unclear. Another area of intense interest concerns the role of ion-pairing in controlling the activity and termination mechanisms of metallocene-catalyzed polymerizations. Herein we report the application of quenched-flow kinetics, active site counting, polymer microstructure analysis, and molecular weight distribution analysis to the determination of fundamental rate laws for initiation, propagation, and termination for the polymerization of 1-hexene in toluene solution as catalyzed by the contact ion-pair, [rac-(C(2)H(4)(1-indenyl)(2))ZrMe][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)] (1) over the temperature range of -10 to 50 degrees C. Highly isotactic (>99% mmmm) poly-1-hexene is produced with no apparent enchained regioerrors. Initiation and propagation processes are first order in the concentrations of 1-hexene and 1 but independent of excess borane or the addition of the contact ion-pair [PhNMe(3)][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)]. Active site counting and the reaction kinetics provide no evidence of catalyst accumulation in dormant or inactive sites. Initiation is slower than propagation by a factor of 70. The principal termination process is the formation of unsaturates of two types: vinylidene end groups that arise from termination after a 1,2 insertion and vinylene end groups that follow 2,1 insertions. The rate law for the former termination process is independent of the 1-hexene concentration, whereas the latter is first order. Analysis of (13)C-labeled polymer provides support for a mechanism of vinylene end group formation that is not chain transfer to monomer. Deterministic modeling of the molecular weight distributions using the fundamental rate laws and kinetic constants demonstrates the robustness of the kinetic analysis. Comparisons of insertion frequencies with estimated limits on the rates of ion-pair symmetrization obtained by NMR suggest that ion-pair separation prior to insertion is not required, but the analysis requires assumptions that cannot be validated.     

Direct evidence of the second‐order dependence of propagation rate on propene concentration in living polymerization with the [t‐BuNSiMe2Flu]TiMe2/B(C6F5)3 catalyst

Propene polymerization was conducted with the [t‐BuNSiMe₂Flu]TiMe₂/B(C₆F₅)₃ catalyst at –50°C at various concentrations of propene. The polymerization proceeds in a living manner regardless of the propene concentration employed. Molecular weight of polymer obtained in a certain polymerization time with low monomer conversion increases with increasing concentration of propene. The logarithmic plot of molecular weight against propene concentration gives a straight line with a slope of 1.8, which indicates that the propagation rate is almost of second order with respect to propene concentration.     

B(C6F5)3- vs Al(C6F5)3-derived metallocenium ion pairs. Structural, thermochemical, and structural dynamic divergences

The thermodynamic and structural characteristics of Al(C6F(5)3-derived vs B(C6F5)3-derived group 4 metallocenium ion pairs are quantified. Reaction of 1.0 equiv of B(C6F5)3 or 1.0 or 2.0 equiv of Al(C6F5)3 with rac-C2H4(eta5-Ind)2Zr(CH3)2 (rac-(EBI)Zr(CH3)2) yields rac-(EBI)Zr(CH3)(+)H3CB(C6)F5)(3)(-) (1a), rac-(EBI)Zr(CH3)+H3CAl(C6F5)(3)(-) (1b), and rac-(EBI)Zr2+[H3CAl(C6F5)3](-)(2) (1c), respectively. X-ray crystallographic analysis of 1b indicates the H3CAl(C6F5)(3)(-) anion coordinates to the metal center via a bridging methyl in a manner similar to B(C6F5)3-derived metallocenium ion pairs. However, the Zr-(CH3)(bridging) and Al-(CH3)(bridging) bond lengths of 1b (2.505(4) A and 2.026(4) A, respectively) indicate the methyl group is less completely abstracted in 1b than in typical B(C6F5)3-derived ion pairs. Ion pair formation enthalpies (DeltaH(ipf)) determined by isoperibol solution calorimetry in toluene from the neutral precursors are -21.9(6) kcal mol(-1) (1a), -14.0(15) kcal mol(-1) (1b), and -2.1(1) kcal mol(-1) (1b-->1c), indicating Al(C6F5)3 to have significantly less methide affinity than B(C6F5)3. Analogous experiments with Me2Si(eta5-Me4C5)(t-BuN)Ti(CH3)2 indicate a similar trend. Furthermore, kinetic parameters for ion pair epimerization by cocatalyst exchange (ce) and anion exchange (ae), determined by line-broadening in VT NMR spectra over the range 25-75 degrees C, are DeltaH++(ce) = 22(1) kcal mol(-1), DeltaS++(ce) = 8.2(4) eu, DeltaH++(ae) = 14(2) kcal mol(-1), and DeltaS++(ae) = -15(2) eu for 1a. Line broadening for 1b is not detectable until just below the temperature where decomposition becomes significant ( approximately 75-80 degrees C), but estimation of the activation parameters at 72 degrees C gives DeltaH++(ce) approximately 22 kcal mol(-1)and DeltaH++(ae) approximately 16 kcal mol(-1), consistent with the bridging methide being more strongly bound to the zirconocenium center than in 1a.     

(Butadiene)metallocene/B(C6F5)3 pathway to catalyst systems for stereoselective methyl methacrylate polymerization: evidence for an anion dependent metallocene catalyzed polymerization process

The ansa-zirconocene dichlorides [Me(2)Si(C(5)H(4))(3-R-C(5)H(3))]ZrCl(2) 7a-e (R = H, CH(3), cyclohexyl, -CHMe(2), -CMe(3)) were reacted with butadiene-magnesium to yield the respective (eta(4)-butadiene)metallocenes 17a-e. The chiral examples give a mixture of two s-cis and two s-trans diastereomers. The strong Lewis acid B(C(6)F(5))(3) adds selectively to a terminal butadiene carbon atom to yield the (butadiene)metallocene/B(C(6)F(5))(3) betaine complexes 18a-e. Initially, the formation of the Z-18 isomers is preferred. These consecutively rearrange to the thermodynamically favored isomers E-18. The dipolar systems 18 are active single component metallocene catalysts for the stereospecific polymerization of methyl methacrylate. With increasing steric bulk of the attached single alkyl substituent an increasingly isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) is obtained. A similar trend is observed in the methyl methacrylate polymerization at the [Me(2)Si(C(5)H(4))(3-R-C(5)H(3))]ZrCH(3)(+) catalysts (9a-e) that were conventionally prepared by methyl abstraction from the corresponding ansa-zirconocene dimethyl complexes by treatment with B(C(6)F(5))(3). A comparison of the poly(methyl methacrylates) obtained at these two series of catalysts has revealed substantial differences in stereoselectivity that probably originate from an influence of the respective counteranions. An initial reactive intermediate of methyl methacrylate addition to the dipolar single component metallocene catalyst E-18a was experimentally observed and characterized by NMR spectroscopy at 253 K. The subsequently formed series of [PMMA-C(4)H(6)(-)B(C(6)F(5))(3)](-) anion oligomers (at the catalyst 18c) was monitored (after quenching) and characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry.     

Catalytic mechanism of S-ribosylhomocysteinase (LuxS): direct observation of ketone intermediates by 13C NMR spectroscopy

S-Ribosylhomocysteinase (LuxS) catalyzes the cleavage of the thioether linkage of S-ribosylhomocysteine (SRH) to produce l-homocysteine and 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DHPD). This is a key step in the biosynthetic pathway of the type II autoinducer (AI-2) in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Previous studies demonstrated that LuxS contains a catalytically essential Fe2+ ion. The catalytic mechanism of LuxS was investigated using 2- and 3-13C-labeled SRH as substrate and 13C NMR spectroscopy. These studies revealed the presence of 2- and 3-keto intermediates in the catalytic pathway. The 2-keto intermediate was chemically synthesized, and its chemical and kinetic competence was demonstrated. The results support a catalytic mechanism in which the metal ion catalyzes an internal redox reaction, shifting the carbonyl group from the C-1 position to the C-3 position. Subsequent beta-elimination at the C-4 and C-5 positions releases homocysteine as a free thiol. The results also suggest that Cys-84 and Glu-57 are the possible general acids/bases for proton transfer during catalysis and that the keto intermediates are released from the enzyme active site before rebinding and completion of the reaction.     

新型B(C6F5)3/有机胺盐酸盐催化体系的反应研究

近年来, 受限路易斯酸碱对(FLPs: Frustrated Lewis Pairs)在小分子的活化以及在催化还原等方面所表现出的独特反应特性, 使得有关FLPs化学的研究受到了国内外广泛的关注. 设计了一种新型的FLPs催化体系, 该体系以三(五氟苯基)硼(BCF)为路易斯酸, 以多种不同取代的有机胺盐酸盐替代常规FLPs中的路易斯碱有机胺. 发现利用该体系与氢化硅烷反应, 不仅可以高产率地制备分离得到相应的伯、仲、叔硼氢化胺盐; 而且还可以这一体系作为催化剂, 以氢化硅烷作为还原剂, 在常温常压下可高选择性地部分或彻底还原大部分含羰基官能团醛酮等有机化合物. 由BCF/2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶(TMP)盐酸盐组成的催化体系在对CO₂催化还原为甲烷的反应中, 亦较相应的BCF/TMP体系显示更高的活性. 还通过核磁共振详细地对比研究了原料有机胺盐酸盐、中间体氯代硼胺盐以及产物氢化硼胺盐中, 胺基氮上质子的核磁共振谱信息, 发现不仅胺基上取代基的位阻效应会影响到具有电四极矩性的¹⁴N磁性核的弛豫效应, 而且阴离子基团的配位强弱对胺基氮上质子的化学位移也会产生较大的影响.     

19F NMR Investigations of the Reaction of B(C6F5)3 with Different Tri(alkyl)aluminum Compounds

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, B(C₆F₅)₃ reacts with triethylaluminum, AlEt₃ to a mixture of Al(C₆F₅)_3−nEt_n and Al₂(C₆F₅)_6−nEt_n compounds depending on the B/Al ratio. From excess borane to excess AlEt₃ the species Al(C₆F₅)₃ → Al(C₆F₅)₂Et Al₂(C₆F₅)₄Et₂ → Al₂(C₆F₅)₃Et₃ → Al₂(C₆F₅)₂Et₄ → Al₂(C₆F₅)Et₅ are formed and differentiated by their para-F signal in ¹⁹F NMR. The reaction between B(C₆F₅)₃ and the higher aluminum alkyls, tri(iso-butyl)aluminum and tri(n-hexyl)aluminum AlR₃ (R = i-Bu, n-C₆H₁₃) is slower and requires AlR₃ excess to shift the C₆F₅ R exchange equilibria to almost complete formation of Al(C₆F₅)R₂ and BR₃. At equimolar ratio the equilibrium lies on the side of the unchanged borane together with its boranate [B(C₆F₅)₃R]⁻ anion. For tri(n-octyl)aluminum even at large Al(n-C₈H₁₇)₃ excess no C₆F₅ alkyl exchange can be observed, but boranate anions form.     

Perfluororganotellur-Verbindungen: Neue Untersuchungen zur Darstellung von Te(Rf)2 und CH3TeRf (Rf = C2F5, C3F7, C6F5)

Perfluoroorgano Tellurium Compounds: New Investigations on the Preparation of Te(R_f)₂ and CH₃TeR_f (R_f = C₂F₅, C₃F₇, C₆F₅) Methyl(perfluoroorgano) tellurium and bis(perfluoroorgano) tellurium compounds are synthesized in high yields from the photochemical or the thermal reactions of (CH₃)₂ Te with perfluoroorgano iodides in the presence of (C₂H₅)₃N. They are isolated in pure states. Another general method for the preparation of bis(perfluoroorgano) tellurium is the thermal reaction of TeCl₄ with bis(perfluoroorgano) mercury. The preparations and properties of the partially new compounds are described.     

The preparations and properties of tris(perfluoroorgano)bismuth compounds Bi(Rf)3 (Rf = CF3, C2F5, n-C3F7, n-C4F9, n-C6F13, n-C8 F17, C6F5)

Tris(perfluoroorgano)bismuth compounds Bi(R_f)₃ (R_f = CF₃, C₂F₅, n-C₃F₇, n-C₄F₉, n-C₆F₁₃, n-C₈F₁₇, C₆F₅) are easily prepared in high yields from the reactions of perfluoroorganocadmium complexes with BiCl₃, or BiBr₃ in aprotic solvents. The perfluoroorganobismuth halides intermediates in these reactions have been detected by NMR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis and reactivity of N-heterocycle-B(C6F5)3 complexes. 4. Competition between pyridine- and pyrrole-type substrates toward B(C6F5)3: structure and dynamics of 7-B(C6F5)3-7-azaindole and [7-Azaindolium]+[HOB(C6F5)3]-

Reaction between 7-azaindole and B(C6F5)3 quantitatively yields 7-(C6F5)3B-7-azaindole (4), in which B(C6F5)3 coordinates to the pyridine nitrogen of 7-azaindole, leaving the pyrrole ring unreacted even in the presence of a second equivalent of B(C6F5)3. Reaction of 7-azaindole with H2O-B(C6F5)3 initially produces [7-azaindolium]+[HOB(C6F5)3]- (5) which slowly converts to 4 releasing a H2O molecule. Pyridine removes the borane from the known complexes (C6F5)3B-pyrrole (1) and (C6F5)3B-indole (2), with formation of free pyrrole or indole, giving the more stable adduct (C6F5)3B-pyridine (3). The competition between pyridine and 7-azaindole for the coordination with B(C6F5)3 again yields 3. The molecular structures of compounds 4 and 5 have been determined both in the solid state and in solution and compared to the structures of other (C6F5)3B-N-heterocycle complexes. Two dynamic processes have been found in compound 4. Their activation parameters (DeltaH = 66 (3) kJ/mol, DeltaS = -18 (10) J/mol K and DeltaH = 76 (5) kJ/mol, DeltaS = -5 (18) J/mol K) are comparable with those of other (C6F5)3B-based adducts. The nature of the intramolecular interactions that result in such energetic barriers is discussed.     

Thermal rearrangement of phosphine-B(C6F5)3 adducts

A series of tertiary and secondary phosphine-B(C6F5)3 adducts are shown to undergo facile, thermal-induced rearrangement to give zwitterionic species of the form R3P(C6F4)BF(C6F5)2 and R2PH(C6F4)BF(C6F 5)2, respectively.     

Neue Synthesen und Kristallstrukturen von Bis(fluorphenyl)quecksilber,Hg(Rf)2 (Rf = C6F5, 2, 3, 4, 6‐F4C6H, 2, 3, 5, 6‐F4C6H, 2, 4, 6‐F3C6H2, 2, 6‐F2C6H3)

New Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Bis(fluorophenyl) Mercury, Hg(R_f)₂ (R_f = C₆F₅, 2, 3, 4, 6‐F₄C₆H, 2, 3, 5, 6‐F₄C₆H, 2, 4, 6‐F₃C₆H₂, 2, 6‐F₂C₆H₃) Bis(fluorophenyl) mercury compounds, Hg(R_f)₂ (R_f = C₆F₅, C₆HF₄, C₆H₂F₃, C₆H₃F₂), are prepared in good yields by the reactions of HgF₂ with Me₃SiR_f. The crystal structures of Hg(2, 3, 4, 6‐F₄C₆H)₂ (monoclinic, P2₁/n), Hg(2, 3, 5, 6‐F₄C₆H)₂ (monoclinic, C2/m), Hg(2, 4, 6‐F₃C₆H₂)₂ (monoclinic, P2₁/c) and Hg(2, 6‐F₂C₆H₃)₂ (triclinic, P1) are described.     

Reactions of Pentafluorobenzenesulfanylamines (C6F5S)nNH3–n,n = 1, 2, 3 and the Structure of (C6F5S)3N

The crystal structure of (C₆F₅S)₃N has been examined. The compounds (C₆F₅S)₂NX, X = SiMe₃ and ½ Hg have been prepared from (C₆F₅S)₂NH and characterised. In a number of other reactions, such as oxidation and irradiation, the S? N bond in (C₆F₅S)₂NH was readily fractured, forming the disulfide, (C₆F₅S)₂. The compound (C₆F₅S)₃N has been found to be unreactive. Details of the mass and ¹³C NMR spectra of (C₆F₅S)_nNH_3–n, n = 1, 2, 3 are reported.     

67Zn solid-state NMR spectroscopy of ([Tp But,Me]Zn(OH2))[HOB(C6F5)3]. the importance of the anion [HOB(C6F5)3]-

One of the paradigms of Zn2+ metallobiochemistry is that coordination of water to Zn2+ provides a mechanism of activation that involves lowering the pKa by approximately 7 pH units. This idea has become central to the development of mechanisms of action for zinc metalloproteins. However, the direct measurement of the pKa of water bound to Zn2+ in a metalloprotein has yet to be accomplished. Developing models for Zn2+-OH2 species has been a significant challenge, but we have utilized solid-state 67Zn NMR spectroscopy as a means to characterize one of the few examples of water bound to mononuclear tetrahedral Zn2+: ([Tp(But,Me)]Zn(OH2))[HOB(C6F5)3]. The measured quadrupole coupling (Cq) constant is 4.3 MHz with an asymmetry parameter of etaq of 0.6. Likewise, due to the small value of Cq, anisotropic shielding also contributed to the observed 67Zn NMR lineshape. As expected, the computed values of the magnetic resonance parameters depend critically on the nature of the anion. The predicted value of Cq for ([Tp(But,Me)]Zn(OH2))[HOB(C6F5)3] is -4.88 MHz. We discuss the results of these calculations in terms of the nature of the anion, the local electrostatics, and its subsequent hydrogen bonding to [Tp(But,Me)]Zn(OH2)+.     

C6F5Xe]+ and [C6F5XeNCCH3]+ salts of the weakly coordinating borate anions, [BY4]- (Y = CN, CF3, or C6F5)

New examples of [C6F5Xe]+ salts of the weakly coordinating [BY4]- (Y = CN, CF3, or C6F5) anions were synthesized by metathesis of [C6F5Xe][BF4] with MI[BY4] (MI = K or Cs; Y = CN, CF3, or C6F5) in CH3CN at -40 degrees C, and were crystallized from CH2Cl2 or from a CH2Cl2/CH3CN solvent mixture. The low-temperature (-173 degrees C) X-ray crystal structures of the [C6F5Xe]+ cation and of the [C6F5XeNCCH3]+ adduct-cation are reported for [C6F5Xe][B(CF3)4], [C6F5XeNCCH3][B(CF3)4], [C6F5Xe][B(CN)4], and [C6F5XeNCCH3][B(C6F5)4]. The [C6F5Xe]+ cation, in each structure, interacts with either the anion or the solvent, with the weakest cation-anion interactions occurring for the [B(CF3)4]- anion. The solid-state Raman spectra of the [C6F5Xe]+ and [C6F5XeNCCH3]+ salts have been assigned with the aid of electronic structure calculations. Gas-phase thermodynamic calculations show that the donor-acceptor bond dissociation energy of [C6F5XeNCCH3]+ is approximately half that of [FXeNCCH3]+. Coordination of CH3CN to [C6F5Xe]+ is correlated with changes in the partial charges on mainly Xe, the ipso-C, and N, that is, the partial charge on Xe increases and those on the ipso-C and N decrease upon coordination, typifying a transition from a 2c-2e to a 3c-4e bond.