Density functional theory study of the interaction of CP2*ZrCH 3+ (Cp* = C5H5, C5Me5, and C13H9) with ethylene molecule

Density functional theory was used to study gas-phase reactions between the Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ cations, where Cp* = C₅H₅ (1), Me₅Cp = C₅Me₅ (2), and Flu = C₁₃H₉ (3), and the ethylene molecule, Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ + C₂H₄ → Cp₂*ZrPr⁺ → Cp₂*ZrAllyl⁺ + H₂. The reactivity of the Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ cations with respect to the ethylene molecule decreased in the series 1 > 3 ≈ 2. Substitution in the Cp ring decreased the reactivity of the Cp₂*ZrMe⁺ cations toward ethylene, in agreement with the experimental data on the comparative reactivities of complexes 1 and 3. The two main energy barriers along the reaction path (the formation of the C-C bond leading to the primary product Cp₂*ZrPr⁺ and hydride shift leading to the secondary product Cp₂*Zr(H₂)Allyl⁺) vary in opposite directions in the series of the compounds studied. For Flu (3), these barriers are close to each other, and for the other compounds, the formation of the C-C bond requires the overcoming of a higher energy barrier. A comparison of the results obtained with the data on the activity of zirconocene catalysts in real catalytic systems for the polymerization of ethylene led us to conclude that the properties of the catalytic center changed drastically in the passage from the model reaction in the gas phase to real catalytic systems.     

Synthesis of zirconocenes bearing benz[f]indenyl ligand and their use as a catalyst in ethylene polymerization

Benz[f]indenyl zirconium complexes have been successfully synthesized and characterized. Their catalytic activities were evaluated for the polymerization of ethylene. The complexes combined with MAO can be highly active single site catalysts, which display activities comparable with that of the Cp₂ZrCl₂/MAO system and provide very high molecular weight polyethylenes. The melting point of the polymers indicates the formation of linear polyethylene.     

A novel zirconocene/ultradispersed diamond black powder supported catalytic system for ethylene polymerization

A novel carrier of ultradispersed diamond black powder (UDDBP) was used to support metallocene catalyst. Al₂O₃ was also used as carrier in order to compare with UDDBP. Supported catalysts for ethylene polymerization were synthesized by two different reaction methods. One way was direct immobilization of the metallocene on the support, the other was adsorption of MAO onto the support followed by addition of the metallocene. Four supported catalysts Cp₂ZrCl₂/UDDBP, Cp₂ZrCl₂/Al₂O₃, Cp₂ZrCl₂/MAO/UDDBP and Cp₂ZrCl₂/Al₂O₃/MAO were obtained. The content of the zirconium in the supported catalyst was determined by UV spectroscopy. The activity of the ethylene polymerization catalyzed by supported catalyst was investigated. The influence of Al/Zr molar ratio and polymerization temperature on the activity was discussed. The polymerization rate was also observed.     

Controlling molecular weight distributions of polyethylene by combining soluble metallocene/MAO catalysts

A critical look at the possibility of controlling the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of polyolefins by combining metallocene/methylalumoxane (MAO) catalysts is offered. Catalysts investigated were bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride (Cp₂ZrCl₂), its titanium and hafnium analogues (Cp₂TiCl₂ and Cp₂HfCl₂), as well as rac-ethylenebis(indenyl)zirconium dichloride (Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂). As observed by other researchers, the MWD of polyethylene can be manipulated by combining soluble catalysts, which on their own produce polymer with narrow MWD but with different average molecular weights. Combined in slurry polymerization reactors, the catalysts in consideration produce ethylene homopolymer just as they would independently. Unimodal or bimodal MWDs can be obtained. This effect can be mimicked by blending polymers produced by the individual catalysts. We demonstrate how a variability in catalyst activity translates into a variability in MWD when mixing soluble catalysts in polymerization. Such a variability in MWD must be considered when setting goals for MWD control. We introduce a more quantitative approach to controlling the MWD using this method. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 831–840, 1998     

Novel use of mesoporous aluminas as supports for Cp2ZrCl2 and Cp*ZrMe3: Ethylene polymerization and formation of polyethylene nanofibers

Mesoporous aluminas with average pore sizes of 4.3–7.8 nm were prepared by anodization of an aluminum film (AAO), and by a sol–gel templating method (TPL). In addition to a commercial alumina and sulfated TPL, the aluminas were used as supports for cyclopentadienyl zirconocene dichloride (Cp₂ZrCl₂) and trimethyl(η5‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium (Cp*ZrMe₃) and tested in the polymerization of ethylene. The metallocenes supported on the alumina prepared with the templating method and its sulfated modification exhibited polymerization activities of 440 and 350 kg_PE/(mol_Zr × h × bar), respectively, comparable to that obtained with silica‐supported metallocenes (390 kg_PE/(mol_Zr × h × bar)). The acid site distribution of the aluminas was studied with FTIR and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of pyridine, and also the amount of medium and strong acid sites was determined gravimetrically from the adsorption of pyridine. Relative to the surface area, AAO with the highest amount of acid sites (2.10 μmol_py/m) adsorbed Cp₂ZrCl₂ and Cp*ZrMe₃ the most. Study of the polymers' morphology with a scanning electron microscope revealed polyethylene nanofibers in all the polymer samples, also in those obtained from the reference polymerizations with homogeneous Cp₂ZrCl₂ and Cp*ZrMe₃. This finding suggests that a catalyst support with a tubular pore structure is not a prerequisite for the formation of polymer nanofibers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4002–4012, 2007     

A new understanding of the co-catalytic activity of alumoxanes: The opening of a black box!

The isolation of non-fluxional alumoxane compounds, [(^tBu)₂Al{OAl(^tBu)₂}]₂ and [(^tBu)AlO]_n (n = 6, 7, 8, 9), has allowed for an investigation of the mode of activity observed for alumoxanes as co-catalysts for the zirconocene polymerization of olefins. [(^tBu)₂Al{OAl(^tBu)₂}]₂, which contains two three-coordinate aluminum centers, shows no reaction with Cp₂ZrMe₂, and no catalytic activity towards ethylene polymerization. In contrast, the closed cage compound [(^tBu)AlO]₆ reacts reversibly to give the ion pair complex, [Cp₂ZrMe][(^rBu)₆Al₆O₆Me], which is active as a catalyst for the polymerization of ethylene. Polymerization is also observed for mixtures of Cp₂ZrMe₂ with [(^tBu)AlO]_n (n = 7, 9). A new concept, “latent Lewis acidity”, is proposed to account for the reactivity of the cage alumoxanes, [(^tBu)AlO]_n.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of [K(H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O)(Piv)]<Subscript>∞</Subscript> and [K<Subscript>2</Subscript>(Phen)(H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O)<Subscript>2</Subscript>(Piv)<Subscript>2</Subscript>]<Subscript>∞</Subscript>

A method for the synthesis of potassium pivalates (trimethylacetates) from potassium tert-butoxide and pivalic acid was proposed. The complexes of the formulas [K(H₂O)(Piv)]_∞(I) and [K₂(Phen)(H₂O)₂(Piv)₂]_∞ (II) (Piv denotes the pivalate anion and Phen denotes 1,10-phenanthroline) were obtained and characterized by elemental analysis and IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of complexes I and II were determined using X-ray diffraction. Crystal structure I has a layered motif with two nonequivalent K atoms (C.N.s 5 + 2 and 6). The coordination of phenanthroline in II gives rise to a ribbon motif, the structure containing three nonequivalent K atoms (C.N.s 6, 6 + 1, and 8).     

Copolymerization of poly(propylene) macromonomer and ethylene with metallocene catalysts

Copolymerization of ethylene and poly(propylene) macromonomer(PPM) with Mn⇋710 was conducted with the (t-butylamido)dimethyl(tetramethyl-η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)silanetitanium dichloride(CGC-Ti), ethylenebis(tetrahydroindenyl)zirconium dichloride(Et[IndH₄]₂ZrCl₂), bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride(Cp₂ZrCl₂) and bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride(Cp₂TiCl₂) catalysts using methylaluminoxane as cocatalyst. From the detail analysis of resulting copolymers by DSC, IR and ¹³C NMR, it was proved that PPM is copolymerized with ethylene to give poly(ethylene-co-PPM). The ability of incorporating PPM in the copolymer was found to increase in the following order: Cp₂ZrCl₂ «Cp₂TiCl₂ < Et[IndH₄]₂ZrCl₂ «CGC-Ti.     

Olefin copolymerization with metallocene catalysts. I. Comparison of catalysts

A number of metallocene/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalysts have been compared for ethylene/propylene copolymerizations to find relationship between the polymerization activities, copolymer structures, and copolymerization reactivity ratio with the catalyst structures. Stereorigid racemic ethylene bis (indenyl) zirconium dichloride and the tetrahydro derivative exhibit very high activity of 10 ⁷ g (mol Zr h bar)^?1, giving copolymers having comonomer compositions about the same as the feed compositions, molecular weights increasing with the increase of ethylene in the feed, random incorporation of comonomers, and narrow molecular weight distribution indicative of a single catalytic species. Nonbridged bis (indenyl) zirconium behaved differently, favoring the incorporation of ethylene over propylene, producing copolymers whose molecular weight decreases with the increase of ethylene in the feed, broad molecular weight distribution, and a methanol soluble fraction. This catalyst system contains two or more active species. Simple methallocene catalysts have much lower polymerization activities. C_pTiCl₂/MAO produced copolymers with tendency toward alternation, whereas Cp₂HfCl₂/MAO gave copolymer containing short blocks of monomers.     

Effect of temperature on the number of active sites and propagation rate constant at ethylene polymerization over supported bis(imino)pyridine iron catalysts

The inhibition of ethylene polymerization with radioactive carbon monoxide (¹⁴CO) was used to obtain data on the number of active sites (C_P) and propagation rate constant (k_P) at ethylene polymerization in the temperature range of 35–70 °C over supported catalysts LFeCl₂/Al₂O₃, LFeCl₂/SiO₂, and LFeCl₂/MgCl₂ (L: 2,6‐(2,6‐(Me)₂C₆H₃N = CMe)₂C₅H₃N) with activator Al(i‐Bu)₃. The values of effective activation energy (E_eff), activation energy of propagation reaction (E_P), and temperature coefficients of variation of the number of active sites (E_Cp = E_eff ? E_P) were determined. The activation energies of propagation reaction for catalysts LFeCl₂/Al₂O₃, LFeCl₂/SiO₂, and LFeCl₂/MgCl₂ were found to be quite similar (5.2–5.7 kcal/mol). The number of active sites diminished considerably as the polymerization temperature decreased, the E_Cp value being 5.2–6.2 kcal/mol for these catalysts at polymerization in the presence of hydrogen. The reactions of reversible transformations of active centers to the surface hydride species at polymerization in the presence and absence of hydrogen are proposed as the derivation of E_Cp. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6621–6629, 2008     

Comparison of the catalytic activity of Ziegler-type catalysts based on Cp2ZrCl2 and (Cp2ZrCl)2O

The rates of ethylene polymerization catalyzed by Cp₂ZrCl₂-polymethylalumoxane and (Cp₂ZrCl)₂O-polymethylalumoxane are equal. According to NMR and ESR spectral data, the same precatalyst, presumably Cp₂ZrMe₂, is formed in both systems by the action of AlMe₃. This accounts for the equal catalytic activity of the systems based on Cp₂ZrCl₂ and (Cp₂ZrCl)₂O. A scheme of reactions resulting in cleavage of the Zr-O-Zr bridge is proposed and confirmed by spectroscopic data.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2104–2107, December, 1993.     

Mechanism of olefin polymerization by a soluble zirconium catalyst

A mechanistic study has been carried out on the homogeneous olefin polymerization/oligomerization catalyst formed from Cp₂ZrMe₂ and methylaluminoxane, (MeAlO)_x, in toluene. Formal transfer of CH₃ from Zr to Al yields low concentrations of Cp₂ZrMe⁺ solvated by [(Me₂AlO)_y(MeAlO)_x−y]_y. The cationic Zr species initiates ethylene oligomerization by olefin coordination followed by insertion into the Zr–CH₃ bond. Chain transfer occurs by one of two competing pathways. The predominant one involves exchange of Cp₂Zr–P⁺ (P=growing ethylene oligomer) with Al–CH₃ to produce another Cp₂ZrMe⁺ initiator plus an Al-bound oligomer. Terminal Al–C bonds in the latter are ultimately cleaved on hydrolytic workup to produce materials with saturated end groups. Concomitant chain transfer occurs by sigma bond metathesis of Cp₂Zr–P⁺ with ethylene. Metathesis results in cleavage of the Zr–C bond of the growing oligomer to produce materials also having saturated end groups; and a new initiating species, Cp₂Zr-CHCH₂⁺. The two chain transfer pathways afford structurally different oligomers distinguishable by carbon number and end group structure. Oligomers derived from the Cp₂ZrMe⁺ channel are C_n (n=odd) alkanes; those derived from Cp₂Zr–CHCH₂⁺ are terminally mono-unsaturated C_n (n=even) alkenes. Chain transfer by beta hydride elimination is detectable but relatively insignificant under the conditions employed. Propylene and 1-hexene react similarly but beta hydride elimination is the predominant chain transfer step. The initial Zr-alkyl species produces a Cp₂ZrH⁺ complex that is the principle chain initiator. Chain transfer is fast relative to propagation and the products are low molecular weight oligomers.     

Biological activities of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde Schiff bases derived from S-methyl- and S-benzyldithiocarbazate and their zinc(II) and manganese(II) complexes. Crystal Structure of the Manganese(II) complex of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde S-benzyldithiocarbazate

Transition metal complexes [Zn(L¹)₂] (I) and [Mn(L²)₂] (II), where HL¹ = pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde S-methyldithiocarbazate, HL² = pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde S-benzyldithiocarbazate, have been synthesized. Complex II was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The manganese(II) atom in complex II adopts a distorted octahedral geometry with the Schiff base coordinated to it as a uninegatively charged tridentate chelating agent via the pyridine and azomethine nitrogen atoms and the thiolate sulfur atom. Biological studies carried out in vitro against selected bacteria, fungi, and K562 leukemia cell line, respectively, have shown that the free ligands and their metal complexes exhibited distinctive differences in the biological properties. Ligand HL¹ and complex I have the marked and broad antimicrobial activities compared to HL² and complex II while only HL¹ and complex II show significant antitumor activity against K562 leukemia cell line, since they exhibit IC₅₀ values in the μM range.     

Study on chemisorption of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>, O<Subscript>2</Subscript>, CO and C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript>on Pt-Ag/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>catalysts by microcalorimetry and FTIR

Adsorption microcalorimetry has been employed to study the interaction of ethylene with the reduced and oxidized Pt-Ag/SiO₂catalysts with different Ag contents to elucidate the modified effect of Ag towards the hydrocarbon processing on platinum catalysts. In addition, microcalorimetric adsorption of H₂, O₂, CO and FTIR of CO adsorption were conducted to investigate the influence of Ag on the surface structure of Pt catalyst. It is found from the microcalorimetric results of H₂and O₂adsorption that the addition of Ag to Pt/SiO₂leads to the enrichment of Ag on the catalyst surface which decreases the size of Pt surface ensembles of Pt-Ag/SiO₂catalysts. The microcalorimetry and FTIR of CO adsorption indicates that there still exist sites for linear and bridged CO adsorption on the surface of platinum catalysts simultaneously although Ag was incorporated into Pt/SiO₂. The ethylene microcalorimetric results show that the decrease of ensemble size of Pt surface sites suppresses the formation of dissociative species (ethylidyne) upon the chemisorption of C₂H₄on Pt-Ag/SiO₂. The differential heat vs. uptake plots for C₂H₄adsorption on the oxygen-preadsorbed Pt/SiO₂and Pt-Ag/SiO₂catalysts suggest that the incorporation of Ag to Pt/SiO₂could decrease the ability for the oxidation of C₂H₄.     

Synthesis,characterization, and crystal structures of two novel ion-pair complexes based on benzene-1,2-dithiolate ligand

Two novel ion-pair complexes, [IBzPy][Ni(Bdt)₂] (I) and [IBzDMPy][Ni(Bdt)₂] (II) (IBzPy = 1-(4-iodobenzyl)pyridinium, IBzDMPy = 1-(4-iodobenzyl)-3,5-dimethyl-pyridinium, and Bdt = benzene-1,2-dithiolate), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray single-crystal structure determination. The crystal structure determination reveals that the central Ni atoms in complexes I and II are in slightly distorted square-planar coordination environment. The cyclic voltammetric studies show that there are two oxidation peaks for complexes I and II, which are attributed to Ni(IV/III) and Ni(III/II) redox couples.     

Interaction of Pd(II) with Glutamic Acid

Pd(II) complexes with glutamic acid of the composition K[Pd(HGlu)Cl₂] (I) and [Pd(HGlu)₂] (II) were synthesized and studied by IR and electronic absorption spectroscopy methods. Pd²⁺–H₂O–Cl^– and Pd²⁺–H₂O–Cl^––H₂Glu systems were analyzed by pH-metric titration. The most essential Pd(II) complex forms were established by mathematical modeling and their formation constants were calculated. The electronic absorption spectra of complexes I and II were measured in aqueous and physiological solutions. Complex I was found to be biologically active and to exhibit antimetastatic properties.     

1H and 13C NMR study of cyclopentadienyl metal carbonyls in the solid state

In this paper we deal with some structural and dynamic properties of Cp₂W₂(CO)₆ (I) and Cp₂Ru₂(CO)₄ (II) as shown by solid state ¹³C and ¹H NMR experiments. The IR and ¹³C CPMAS spectra of a polycrystalline sample of I show that this compound possesses the anti rotameric structure found in a previously reported X-ray diffraction study. The analysis of the spinning side-band manifold in the ¹³C CPMAS spectrum of I allows us to assess a different semi-bridging character between two CO-groups not seen from the X-ray results. The spectral features of compound II are fully consistent with the X-ray and solution structures previously reported. In both compounds the cyclopentadienyl ligands are involved in fast reorientation motions which modulate the magnetic interactions responsible for the relaxation of ¹³C resonances. The activation energies (E_a) associated with this reorientation process of the Cp ring along their C₅ coordination axis have been determined to be 15.5 and 10.2 kJ mol⁻¹ for I and II respectively on the basis of ¹H T₁ measurements at different temperatures. Furthermore, we show that an empirical relationship relates E_a values and T_min (the temperature at which proton relaxation is more efficient) in a related series of cyclopentadienyl compounds.     

Molecule-Based Magnets with 1D Chain Structure of Bifurcated H-Bonding: Syntheses,Structure, and Magnetic Properties

Two complexes [PyH][Ni(Mnt)₂] (I) and [QlH][Ni(Mnt)₂] (II) (Mnt^2– = maleonitriledithiolate, [PyH]⁺ = pyridinium, [QlH]⁺ = quinolinium) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectra. ESR spectra of polycrystalline samples collected at room temperature are isotropic with g = 2.039 for Iand anisotropic with g _z = 1.997, g _y g _x = 2.102 (g _av = 2.068) for II. The magnetic susceptibility data of I and II have been measured in the temperature range of 2–300 K. The results obtained suggest the antiferromagnetic coupling interactions between neighboring Ni³⁺ ions for I and ferromagnetic coupling interactions for II, respectively. Based on the crystal structure analysis of I, the magnetic properties of two complexes were discussed.     

Polymerization of ethylene by SiO2-supported two-component catalytic systems containing bis(imino)pyridine and bis(imine) ligands

The polymerization of ethylene initiated by SiO₂-supported two-component catalytic systems based on 2,6-bis[1-(2,4-dimethyl-6-cyclohexylphenylimino)ethyl]pyridine iron (II) chloride (I) and 1,2-bis(2-cyclohexyl-4,6-dimethylphenylimino)acenaphthene] nickel bromide (II) was studied. Methylaluminoxane was used as a cocatalyst during support. It was shown that the activity of two-component catalytic systems and the molecular mass and short-chain branching of polyethylene samples depend on the supporting procedure: simultaneous immobilization of components I and II, separate immobilization of components on the support (first I, then II, and vice versa), and the use of a mixture of components I and II immobilized separately on SiO₂.     

Thermal and spectral properties of Cu(II)-5-halogenosalicylates with or without nicotinamide

Summary This paper deals with the preparation and investigation of thermal and spectral properties of the complexes Cu(5-ClSal)₂·2H₂O (I), Cu(5-BrSal)₂·2H₂O (II), Cu(5-ClSal)₂(nia)(H₂O) (III), Cu(5-BrSal)₂(nia)(H₂O) (IV), and Cu(5-ISal)₂(nia)(H₂O) (V) (where Sal=salicylate, and nia=nicotinamide). TG, DTG, DTA, EPR, IR and electronic spectra have been used to study thermal and spectral properties of the complexes. The chemical composition of the complexes, the solid intermediates and the resultant products of thermolysis have been identified by means of elemental analysis and complexometric titration. Schemes of the decomposition of the complexes are suggested. Heating of the compounds first resulted in the release of water molecules. The thermal stability of these complexes can be ordered in the sequence: I <II <IV=V< III. The final product of the thermal decomposition was CuO in all cases. IR data suggested a bidentate coordination of carboxylates to Cu(II) in complexes I-II and bridging ones for complexes III-V.