A Tandem Catalytic System for the Synthesis of Ethylene–Hex‐1‐ene Copolymers from Ethylene Stock

Summary: A tandem catalytic system, composed of (η⁵‐C₅H₄CMe₂C₆H₅)TiCl₃ ( 1 )/MMAO (modified methyl aluminoxane) and [(η⁵‐C₅Me₄)SiMe₂(tBuN)]TiCl₂ ( 2 )/MMAO, was applied for the synthesis of ethylene–hex‐1‐ene copolymers with ethylene as the only monomer stock. During the reaction, 1 /MMAO trimerized ethylene to hex‐1‐ene, while 2 /MMAO copolymerized ethylene with the in situ produced hex‐1‐ene to poly(ethylene–hex‐1‐ene). By changing the catalyst ratio and reaction conditions, a series of copolymer grades with different hex‐1‐ene fractions at high purity were effectively produced.

The overall strategy of the tandem 1 / 2 /MMAO catalytic system.     

Facile,efficient functionalization of polyethylene via regioselective copolymerization of ethylene with cyclic dienes

The copolymerizations of ethylene with cyclic dienes [dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and 2,5‐norbornadiene (NBD)] using bis(β‐enaminoketonato)titanium complexes [PhN = C(R₂)CHC(R₁)O]₂TiCl₂ ( 1a : R₁ = CF₃, R₂ = CH₃; 1b : R₁ = t‐Bu, R₂ = CF₃; 1c : R₁ = Ph, R₂ = CF₃) have been investigated. In the presence of modified methylaluminoxane, these complexes exhibited high catalytic activities in the copolymerization of ethylene with DCPD or NBD, affording high molecular weight copolymers with unimodal molecular weight distributions. ¹H and ¹³C‐NMR spectra reveal ethylene/DCPD copolymerizations by catalysts 1a – c proceeds through the enchainment of norbornene ring. Catalysts 1a and 1c showed a tendency to afford alternating copolymers. More noticeably, catalysts 1b and 1c bearing bulky substituents on the ligands promote ethylene/NBD copolymerization without crosslinking, affording the copolymer containing intracyclic double bonds. The NBD incorporation as high as 27.2 mol % has been achieved by catalyst 1c . Moreover, the microstructures of the copolymers were further confirmed by the measurement of reactivity ratios and dyad monomer sequences as well as mean sequence lengths. The intracyclic double bonds of ethylene/DCPD or ethylene/NBD copolymers can be fully converted into polar groups such as epoxy, amine, silane, and hydroxyl groups under mild conditions. Convenient synthesis of hydroxylated polyethylene can be provided for the first time through the ring opening reaction of epoxide. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1764–1772, 2010     

m‐Metallaphenol: Synthesis and Reactivity Studies

Treatment of the osmium complex [Os{CHC‐(PPh₃)CH(OH)‐η²‐C≡CH}(PPh₃)₂(NCS)₂] ( 1 ) with excess triethylamine produces the first m‐metallaphenol complex [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(OH)CH}(PPh₃)₂(NCS)₂] ( 2 ). The NMR spectroscopic and structural data as well as the nucleus‐independent chemical‐shift (NICS) values suggest that osmaphenol 2 has aromatic character. The reactivity studies demonstrate that 2 can react with different isocyanates to form the annulation reaction products [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(O?C?ONR)C}(PPh₃)₂(NCS)₂] (R=Ph ( 3 ), iPr ( 7 ), Bn ( 8 )) via the carbamate intermediates [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(O‐C?ONHR)CH}(PPh₃)₂(NCS)₂] (R=Ph ( 4 ), iPr ( 5 ), Bn ( 6 )). In addition, the similar annulation reactions can be extended to other unsaturated compounds containing N–C multiple bonds, for example, isothiocyanates, pyridine, and sodium thiocyanate, which can produce the corresponding fused osmabenzene complexes. In contrast, the reactions of 2 with common electrophiles, such as NOBF₄, NO₂BF₄, N‐bromosuccinimide, and N‐chlorosuccinimide only led to the decomposition of the metallaphenol ring. The experimental results suggest that 2 is very electrophilic and readily reacts with nucleophiles, which is mainly due to the metal center and the strong electron‐withdrawing phosphonium group.     

Living copolymerization of ethylene with norbornene mediated by heteroligated (Salicylaldiminato)(β‐enaminoketonato)titanium catalysts

Three heteroligated (salicylaldiminato)(β‐enaminoketonato)titanium complexes [3‐Bu^t‐2‐OC₆H₃CH?N(C₆F₅)][(p‐XC₆H₄)N?C(Bu^t)CHC(CF₃)O]TiCl₂ ( 3a : X = F, 3b : X = Cl, 3c : X = Br) were synthesized and investigated as the catalysts for ethylene polymerization and ethylene/norbornene copolymerization. In the presence of modified methylaluminoxane as a cocatalyst, these unsymmetric catalysts exhibited high activities toward ethylene polymerization, similar to their parallel parent catalysts. Furthermore, they also displayed favorable ability to efficiently incorporate norbornene into the polymer chains and produce high molecular weight copolymers under the mild conditions, though the copolymerization of ethylene with norbornene leads to relatively lower activities. The sterically open structure of the β‐enaminoketonato ligand is responsible for the high norbornene incorporation. The norbornene concentration in the polymerization medium had a profound influence on the molecular weight distribution of the resulting copolymer. When the norbornene concentration in the feed is higher than 0.4 mol/L, the heteroligated catalysts mediated the living copolymerization of ethylene with norbornene to form narrow molecular weight distribution copolymers (M_w/M_n < 1.20), which suggested that chain termination or transfer reaction could be efficiently suppressed via the addition of norbornene into the reaction medium. Polymer yields, catalytic activity, molecular weight, and norbornene incorporation can be controlled within a wide range by the variation of the reaction parameters such as comonomer content in the feed, reaction time, and temperature. ©2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6072–6082, 2009     

Cobalt(II) Complexes with N‐Thioacylamidophosphates and 2,2′‐Bipyridyl and 1,10‐Phenathroline. Crystal Structures,Solution 1H NMR Spectral and Magnetic Properties

Structure and magnetic properties of N‐diisopropoxyphosphorylthiobenzamide PhC(S)‐N(H)‐P(O)(OiPr)₂ ( HL^I ) and N‐diisopropoxyphosphoryl‐N′‐phenylthiocarbamide PhN(H)‐C(S)‐N(H)‐P(O)(OiPr)₂ ( HL^II ) complexes with the Co^II cation of formulas [Co{PhC(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂] ( 1 ), [Co{PhN(H)‐C(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂] ( 2 ), [Co{PhC(S)‐N(H)‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂{PhC(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂] ( 1a ) and [Co{PhC(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂}(2,2′‐bipy)] ( 3 ), [Co{PhC(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂(1,10‐phen)] ( 4 ), [Co{PhN(H)‐C(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂(2,2′‐bipy)] ( 5 ), [Co{PhN(H)‐C(S)‐N‐P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂(1,10‐phen)] ( 6 ) were investigated. Paramagnetic shifts in the ¹H NMR spectrum were observed for high‐spin Co^II complexes with HL^I,II , incorporating the S‐C‐N‐P‐O chelate moiety and two aromatic chelate ligands. Investigation of the thermal dependence of the magnetic susceptibility has shown that the extended materials 1‐2 and 6 show ferromagnetic exchange between distorted tetrahedral ( 1 , 2 ) or octahedral ( 1a , 6 ) metal atoms whereas 3 and 5 show antiferromagnetic properties. Compound 4 behaves as a spin‐canted ferromagnet, an antiferromagnetic ordering taking place below a critical temperature, T_c = 115 K. Complexes 1 and 1a were investigated by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The cobalt(II) atom in complex 1 resides a distorted tetrahedral O₂S₂ environment formed by the C=S sulfur atoms and the P=O oxygen atoms of two deprotonated ligands. Complex 1a has a tetragonal‐bipyramidal structure, Co(O^ax)₂(O^eq)₂(S^eq)₂, and two neutral ligand molecules are coordinated in the axial positions through the oxygen atoms of the P=O groups. The base of the bipyramid is formed by two anionic ligands in the typical 1,5‐O,S coordination mode. The ligands are in a trans configuration.     

Homo‐ and copolymerization of ethylene and norbornene with bis(β‐diketiminato) titanium complexes activated with methylaluminoxane

Homo‐ and copolymerization of ethylene and norbornene were investigated with bis(β‐diketiminato) titanium complexes [ArNC(CR₃)CHC(CR₃)NAr]₂TiCl₂ (R = F, Ar = 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl 2a; R = F, Ar = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl 2b ; R = H, Ar = 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl 2c ; R = H, Ar = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl 2d) in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO). The influence of steric and electric effects of complexes on catalytic activity was evaluated. With MAO as cocatalyst, complexes 2a–d are moderately active catalysts for ethylene polymerization producing high‐molecular weight polyethylenes bearing linear structures, but low active catalysts for norbornene polymerization. Moreover, 2a – d are also active ethylene–norbornene (E–N) copolymerization catalysts. The incorporation of norbornene in the E–N copolymer could be controlled by varying the charged norbornene. ¹³C NMR analyses showed the microstructures of the E–N copolymers were predominantly alternated and isolated norbornene units in copolymer, dyad, and triad sequences of norbornene were detected in the E–N copolymers with high incorporated content of norbornene. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 93–101, 2008     

Nucleophilic Aromatic Addition Reactions of the Metallabenzenes and Metallapyridinium: Attacking Aromatic Metallacycles with Bis(diphenylphosphino)methane to Form Metallacyclohexadienes and Cyclic η2‐Allene‐Coordinated Complexes

The reactions of phosphonium‐substituted metallabenzenes and metallapyridinium with bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (DPPM) were investigated. Treatment of [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(PPh₃)CH}Cl₂(PPh₃)₂]Cl with DPPM produced osmabenzenes [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(PPh₃)CH}Cl₂{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}]Cl ( 2 ), [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(PPh₃)CH}Cl{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}₂]Cl₂ ( 3 ), and cyclic osmium η²‐allene complex [Os{CH?C(PPh₃)CH?(η²‐C?CH)}Cl₂{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}₂]Cl ( 4 ). When the analogue complex of osmabenzene 1 , ruthenabenzene [Ru{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(PPh₃)CH}Cl₂(PPh₃)₂]Cl, was used, the reaction produced ruthenacyclohexadiene [Ru{CH?C(PPh₃)CH?C(PPh₃)CH}Cl{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}₂]Cl₂ ( 6 ), which could be viewed as a Jackson–Meisenheimer complex. Complex 6 is unstable in solution and can easily be convert to the cyclic ruthenium η²‐allene complexes [Ru{CH?C(PPh₃)CH?(η²‐C?CH)}Cl{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}₂]Cl₂ ( 7 ) and [Ru{CH?C(PPh₃)CH?(η²‐C?CH)}Cl₂{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}₂]Cl ( 8 ). The key intermediates of the reactions have been isolated and fully characterized, further supporting the proposed mechanism for the reactions. Similar reactions also occurred in phosphonium‐substituted metallapyridinium [OsCl₂{NHC(CH₃)C(Ph)C(PPh₃)CH}(PPh₃)₂]BF₄ to give the cyclic osmium η²‐allene‐imine complex [OsCl₂{NH?C(CH₃)C(Ph)?(η²‐C?CH)}{(PPh₂)CH₂(PPh₂)}(PPh₃)]BF₄ ( 11 ).     

Effect of Cocatalyst in Ethylene/Styrene Copolymerization by Aryloxo‐Modified Half‐Titanocene–Cocatalyst Systems for Exclusive Synthesis of Copolymers at High Styrene Concentrations

Factors affecting the product distributions in ethylene/styrene copolymerizations catalyzed by Cp*TiCl₂(O‐2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) are explored in the presence of various cocatalysts at high styrene/ethylene feed ratios (at 40 and 55 °C). Ethylene/styrene copolymers were the sole product when the reactions were conducted in the presence of [PhN(H)Me₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] and AlⁱBu₃/Al(octyl)₃ even at 55 and 70 °C, whereas syndiotactic polystyrene was by‐produced when the polymerizations were performed at >40 °C in the presence of MAO; the ratios of the copolymer/SPS were affected by the reaction temperature as well as Al cocatalyst employed.

     

Efficient terpolymerization of ethylene and styrene with α‐olefins by aryloxo‐modified half‐titanocene‐based catalysts and cocatalyst systems

Aryloxo‐modified half‐titanocenes, Cp′TiCl₂(O‐2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) [Cp′ = Cp* ( 1 ), ^tBuC₅H₄ ( 2 )], catalyze terpolymerization of ethylene and styrene with α‐olefin (1‐hexene and 1‐decene) efficiently in the presence of cocatalyst, affording high‐molecular‐weight polymers with unimodal distributions (compositions). Efficient comonomer incorporations have been achieved by these catalysts. The content of each comonomer (α‐olefin, styrene, etc.) could be controlled by varying the comonomer concentration charged, and resonances ascribed to styrene and α‐olefin repeated insertion were negligible. The terpolymerization with p‐methylstyrene (p‐MS) in place of styrene also proceeded in the presence of [PhN(H)Me₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] and AlⁱBu₃ cocatalyst, and p‐MS was incorporated in an efficient matter, affording high‐molecular‐weight polymers with uniform molecular weight distributions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2565–2574     

Copolymerization of 2‐butene and ethylene with catalysts based on titanium and zirconium complexes

The polymerization of 2‐butene and its copolymerization with ethylene have been investigated using four kinds of dichlorobis(β‐diketonato)titanium complexes, [ArN(CH₂)₃NAr]TiCl₂ (Ar = 2,6‐ⁱPr₂C₆H₃) and typical metallocene catalysts. The obtained copolymers display lower melting points than those produced of homopolyethylene under the same polymerization conditions. ¹³C NMR analysis indicates that 9.3 mol‐% of 2‐butene units were incorporated into the polymer chains with Ti(BFA)₂Cl₂‐MAO as the catalyst system. With the trans‐2‐butene a higher copolymerization rate was observed than with cis‐2‐butene. A highly regioselective catalyst system for propene polymerization, [ArN(CH₂)₃NAr]TiCl₂ complex using a mixture of triisobutylaluminium and Ph₃CB(C₆F₅)₄ as cocatalyst, was found to copolymerize a mixture of 1‐butene and trans‐2‐butene with ethylene up to 3.1 mol‐%. Monomer isomerization‐polymerization proceeds with typical metallocene catalysts to produce copolymers consisting of ethylene and 1‐butene.     

Copolymerization of ethylene with cyclopentene or 2‐butene with half titanocenes‐based catalysts

Half titanocenes (CpCH₂CH₂O)TiCl₂ (1), (CpCH₂CH₂OCH₃)TiCl₃ (2), and CpTiCl₃ (3), activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO) were tested in copolymerization of ethylene with internal olefins such as cyclopentene. All the catalysts were able to give incorporation of cyclopentene in polyethylene matrix. ¹³C NMR analysis of obtained copolymers showed that the catalytic systems have low regiospecificity. In fact, in ethylene–cyclopentene copolymers, cyclic olefin inserts with both 1,2 and 1,3‐enchainment. X‐ray powder diffraction analysis of these copolymers confirmed that 1,2 inserted cyclopentene units are excluded from crystalline phase, whereas 1,3‐cyclopentene units are included, giving rise to expansion of unit cell of crystalline polyethylene. Titanium‐based catalysts were investigated also in the copolymerization of ethylene with E and Z‐2‐butene. Only complex (1) was able to give copolymers and ¹³C NMR analysis of products showed 2‐3, 1‐3, and 1‐2 insertion of 2‐butene. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis displayed that ethylene–cyclopentene, as well as ethylene‐2‐butene, copolymers are crystalline and their melting point decreases by increasing the comonomer content. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4725–4733, 2008     

Andhraxylocarpins A–E: Structurally Intriguing Limonoids from the True Mangroves Xylocarpus granatum and Xylocarpus moluccensis

Five new limonoids, including andhraxylocarpins A and B ( 1 and 2 ) which contain a 9‐oxa‐tricyclo[3.3.2.1^{7, 10}]undecane‐2‐ene motif, andhraxylocarpins C and D ( 3 and 4 ), which contain a (Z)‐bicyclo[5.2.1]dec‐3‐en‐8‐one substructure, and andhraxylocarpin E ( 5 ), which contains a tricyclo[3.3.1.1^{3, 6}]decane‐9‐one scaffold, were isolated from the seeds of two true mangroves, Xylocarpus granatum and Xylocarpus moluccensis, that were collected in the estuaries of Andhra Pradesh, India. The absolute configurations of these compounds were determined by extensive NMR investigations, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis, and by circular dichroism and optical rotatory dispersion spectroscopy, in combination with quantum‐chemical calculations. The pronounced structural diversity of limonoids from these mangroves might originate from environmental factors.     

Olefin polymerization and copolymerization by complexes bearing [ONNO]‐Type salan ligands: Effect of ligand structure and metal type (titanium,zirconium, and vanadium)

A series of novel titanium(IV) complexes bearing tetradentate [ONNO] salan type ligands: [Ti{2,2′‐(OC₆H₃‐5‐t‐Bu)₂‐NHRNH}Cl₂] (Lig¹TiCl₂: R = C₂H₄; Lig²TiCl₂: R = C₄H₈; Lig³TiCl₂: R = C₆H₁₂) and [Ti{2,2′‐(OC₆H₂‐3,5‐di‐t‐Bu)₂‐NHC₆H₁₂NH}Cl₂] (Lig⁴TiCl₂) were synthesized and used in the (co)polymerization of olefins. Vanadium and zirconium complexes: [ M{2,2′‐(OC₆H₃‐3,5‐di‐t‐Bu)₂‐NHC₆H₁₂NH}Cl₂] (Lig⁴VCl₂: M = V; Lig⁴ZrCl₂: M = Zr) were also synthesized for comparative investigations. All the complexes turned out active in 1‐octene polymerization after activation by MAO and/or Al(i‐Bu)₃/[Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄]. The catalytic performance of titanium complexes was strictly dependent on their structures and it improves for the increasing length of the aliphatic linkage between nitrogen atoms (Lig¹TiCl₂ << Lig²TiCl₂ < Lig³TiCl₂) and declines after adding additional tert‐Bu group on the aromatic rings (Lig³TiCl₂ < Lig⁴TiCl₂). The activity of all titanium complexes in ethylene polymerization was moderate and the properties of polyethylene was dependent on the ligand structure, cocatalyst type, and reaction conditions. The Et₂AlCl‐activated complexes gave polymers with lover molecular weights and bimodal distribution, whereas ultra‐high molecular weight PE (up to 3588 kg mol^?1) and narrow MWD was formed for MAO as a cocatalyst. Vanadium complex yielded PE with the highest productivity (1925.3 kg mol_v^?1), with high molecular weight (1986 kg mol^?1) and with very narrow molecular weight distribution (1.5). Copolymerization tests showed that titanium complexes yielded ethylene/1‐octene copolymers, whereas vanadium catalysts produced product mixtures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2111–2123     

Influence of Ring Annelation on the Mode Selectivity of the Ionized Diazabicycloheptenes and Corresponding Housanes: An ESR and ENDOR Study

The tricyclic azoalkanes, (1α,4α,4aα,7aα)‐4,4a,5,6,7,7a‐hexahydro‐1,4,8,8‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐methano‐1H‐cyclopenta[d]pyridazine ( 1c ), (1α,4α,4aα,6aα)‐4,4a,5,6,6a‐pentahydro‐1,4,7,7‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐methano‐1H‐cyclobuta[d]pyridazine ( 1d ), (1α,4α,4aα,6aα)‐4,4a,6a‐trihydro‐1,4,7,7‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐methano‐1H‐cyclobuta[d]pyridazine ( 1e ), and (1α,4α,4aα,5aα)‐4,4a,5,5a‐tetrahydro‐1,4,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐methano‐1H‐cyclopropa[d]pyridazine ( 1f ), as well as the corresponding housanes, the 2,3,3,4‐tetramethyl‐substituted tricyclo[3.3.0.0^2,4]octane ( 2c ), tricyclo[3.2.0.0^2,4]heptane ( 2d ), and tricyclo[3.2.0.0^2,4]hept‐6‐ene ( 2e ), were subjected to γ‐irradiation in Freon matrices. The reaction products were identified with the use of ESR and, in part, ENDOR spectroscopy. As expected, the strain on the C‐framework increases on going from the cyclopentane‐annelated azoalkanes and housanes ( 1c and 2c ) to those annelated by cyclobutane ( 1d and 2d ), by cyclobutene ( 1e and 2e ), and by cyclopropane ( 1f ). Accordingly, the products obtained from 1c and 2c in all three Freons used, CFCl₃, CF₃CCl₃, and CF₂ClCFCl₂, were the radical cations 3c ^.+ and 2c ^.+ of 2,3,4,4‐tetramethylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct‐2‐ene and 2,3,3,4‐tetramethylbicyclo[3.3.0]octane‐2,4‐diyl, respectively. In CFCl₃ and CF₃CCl₃ matrices, 1d and 2d yielded analogous products, namely the radical cations 3d ^.+ and 2d ^.+ of 2,3,4,4‐tetramethylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept‐2‐ene and 2,3,3,4‐tetramethylbicyclo[3.2.0]heptane‐2,4‐diyl. The radical cations 3c ^.+ and 3d ^.+ and 2c ^.+ and 2d ^.+ correspond to their non‐annelated counterparts 3a ^.+ and 3b ^.+, and 2a ^.+ and 2b ^.+ generated previously under the same conditions from 2,3‐diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene ( 1a ) and bicyclo[2.1.0]pentane ( 2a ), as well as from their 1,4‐dimethyl derivatives ( 1b and 2b ). However, in a CF₂ClCFCl₂ matrix, both 1d and 2d gave the radical cation 4d ^.+ of 2,3,3,4‐tetramethylcyclohepta‐1,4‐diene. Starting from 1e and 2e , the radical cations 4e ^.+ and 4e′ ^.+ of the isomeric 1,2,7,7‐ and 1,6,7,7‐tetramethylcyclohepta‐1,3,5‐trienes appeared as the corresponding products, while 1f was converted into the radical cation 4f ^.+ of 1,5,6,6‐tetramethylcyclohexa‐1,4‐diene which readily lost a proton to yield the corresponding cyclohexadienyl radical 4f ^.. Reaction mechanisms leading to the pertinent radical cations are discussed.     

Interconversion of Metallabenzenes and Cyclic η2‐Allene‐Coordinated Complexes

Treatment of the osmabenzene [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(PPh₃)CH} Cl₂(PPh₃)₂]Cl ( 1 ) with excess 8‐hydroxyquinoline produces monosubstituted osmabenzene [Os{CH C(PPh₃) CHC(PPh₃)CH}(C₉H₆NO)Cl(PPh₃)]Cl ( 2 ) or disubstituted osmabenzene [Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHC(PPh₃)CH} (C₉H₆NO)₂]Cl ( 3 ) under different reaction conditions. Osmabenzene 2 evolves into cyclic η²‐allene‐coordinated complex [Os{CH?C(PPh₃)CH=(η²‐C?CH₂)}(C₉H₆NO)(PPh₃)₂]Cl ( 4 ) in the presence of excess PPh₃ and NaOH, presumably involving a P? C bond cleavage of the metallacycle. Reaction of 4 with excess 8‐hydroxyquinoline under air affords the S_NAr product [(C₉H₆NO)Os{CHC(PPh₃)CHCHC} (C₉H₆NO)(PPh₃)]Cl ( 5 ). Complex 4 is fairly reactive to a nucleophile in the presence of acid, which could react with water to give carbonyl complex [Os{CH?C(PPh₃)CH?CH₂}(C₉H₆NO) (CO)(PPh₃)₂]Cl ( 6 ). Complex 4 also reacts with PPh₃ in the presence of acid and results in a transformation to [Os {CHC(PPh₃)CHCHC}(C₉H₆NO)Cl (PPh₃)₂]Cl ( 7 ) and [Os{CH?C(PPh₃) CH=(η²‐C?CH(PPh₃))}(C₉H₆NO) Cl(PPh₃)]Cl ( 8 ). Further investigation shows that the ratio of 7 and 8 is highly dependent on the amount of the acid in the reaction.     

Direct synthesis of linear low‐density polyethylene of ethylene/1‐hexene from ethylene with a tandem catalytic system in a single reactor

Tandem catalysis offers a promising synthetic route to the production of linear low‐density polyethylene. This article reports the use of homogeneous tandem catalytic systems for the synthesis of ethylene/1‐hexene copolymers from ethylene stock as the sole monomer. The reported catalytic systems employ the tandem action between an ethylene trimerization catalyst, (η⁵‐C₅H₄CMe₂C₆H₅)TiCl₃ ( 1 )/modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), and a copolymerization metallocene catalyst, [(η⁵‐C₅Me₄)SiMe₂(^tBuN)]TiCl₂ ( 2 )/MMAO or rac‐Me₂Si(2‐MeBenz[e]Ind)₂ZrCl₂ ( 3 )/MMAO. During the reaction, 1 /MMAO in situ generates 1‐hexene with high activity and high selectivity, and simultaneously 2 /MMAO or 3 /MMAO copolymerizes ethylene with the produced 1‐hexene to generate butyl‐branched polyethylene. We have demonstrated that, by the simple manipulation of the catalyst molar ratio and polymerization conditions, a series of branched polyethylenes with melting temperatures of 60–128 °C, crystallinities of 5.4–53%, and hexene percentages of 0.3–14.2 can be efficiently produced. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4327–4336, 2004     

Chiral Lithiated Allylic α‐Sulfonyl Carbanions: Experimental and Computational Study of Their Structure,Configurational Stability,and Enantioselective Synthesis

X‐ray crystal structure analysis of the lithiated allylic α‐sulfonyl carbanions [CH₂?CHC(Me)SO₂Ph]Li ? diglyme, [cC₆H₈SO₂tBu]Li ? PMDETA and [cC₇H₁₀SO₂tBu]Li ? PMDETA showed dimeric and monomeric CIPs, having nearly planar anionic C atoms, only O?Li bonds, almost planar allylic units with strong C?C bond length alternation and the s‐trans conformation around C1?C2. They adopt a C1?S conformation, which is similar to the one generally found for alkyl and aryl substituted α‐sulfonyl carbanions. Cryoscopy of [EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in THF at 164 K revealed an equilibrium between monomers and dimers in a ratio of 83:17, which is similar to the one found by low temperature NMR spectroscopy. According to NMR spectroscopy the lone‐pair orbital at C1 strongly interacts with the C?C double bond. Low temperature ⁶Li,¹H NOE experiments of [EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in THF point to an equilibrium between monomeric CIPs having only O?Li bonds and CIPs having both O?Li and C1?Li bonds. Ab initio calculation of [MeCH?CHC(Me)SO₂Me]Li ? (Me₂O)₂ gave three isomeric CIPs having the s‐trans conformation and three isomeric CIPs having the s‐cis conformation around the C1?C2 bond. All s‐trans isomers are more stable than the s‐cis isomers. At all levels of theory the s‐trans isomer having O?Li and C1?Li bonds is the most stable one followed by the isomer which has two O?Li bonds. The allylic unit of the C,O,Li isomer shows strong bond length alternation and the C1 atom is in contrast to the O,Li isomer significantly pyramidalized. According to NBO analysis of the s‐trans and s‐cis isomers, the interaction of the lone pair at C1 with the π* orbital of the CC double bond is energetically much more favorable than that with the “empty” orbitals at the Li atom. The C1?S and C1?C2 conformations are determined by the stereoelectronic effects n_C–σ_SR* interaction and allylic conjugation. ¹H DNMR spectroscopy of racemic [EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li, [iPrCH?CHC(iPr)SO₂tBu]Li and [EtCH?C(Me)C(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in [D₈]THF gave estimated barriers of enantiomerization of ΔG^≠=13.2 kcal mol^?1 (270 K), 14.2 kcal mol^?1 (291 K) and 14.2 kcal mol^?1 (295 K), respectively. Deprotonation of sulfone (R)‐EtCH?CHCH(Et)SO₂tBu (94 % ee) with nBuLi in THF at ?105 °C occurred with a calculated enantioselectivity of 93 % ee and gave carbanion (M)‐[EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li, the deuteration and alkylation of which with CF₃CO₂D and MeOCH₂I, respectively, proceeded with high enantioselectivities. Time‐dependent deuteration of the enantioenriched carbanion (M)‐[EtCH?CHC(Et)SO₂tBu]Li in THF gave a racemization barrier of ΔG^≠=12.5 kcal mol^?1 (168 K), which translates to a calculated half‐time of racemization of t_1/2=12 min at ?105 °C.     

Living regioselective copolymerization of ethylene with nonconjugated bicyclic dienes using (salicylaldiminato)(β‐enaminoketonato) titanium catalysts

A series of heteroligated (salicylaldiminato)(β‐enaminoketonato)titanium complexes [3‐^tBu‐2‐OC₆H₃CH?N(C₆F₅)] [PhN?C(CF₃)CHCRO]TiCl₂ [ 3a : R = Ph, 3b : R = C₆H₄Cl(p), 3c : R = C₆H₄OMe(p), 3d : R = C₆H₄Me(p), 3e : R = C₆H₄Me(o)] were synthesized and characterized. Molecular structures of 3b and 3c were further confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analyses. In the presence of modified methylaluminoxane as a cocatalyst, these unsymmetric catalysts displayed favorable ability to incorporate 5‐vinyl‐2‐norbornene (VNB) and 5‐ethylidene‐2‐norbornene (ENB) into the polymer chains, affording high‐molecular weight copolymers with high‐comonomer incorporations and alternating sequence under the mild conditions. The comonomer concentration in the polymerization medium had a profound influence on the molecular weight distribution of the resultant copolymer. At initial comonomer concentration of higher than 0.4 mol/L, the titanium complexes with electron‐donating groups in the β‐enaminoketonato moiety mediated room‐temperature living ethylene/VNB or ENB copolymerizations. Polymerization results coupled with density functional theory calculations suggested that the highly controlled living copolymerization is probably a consequence of the difficulty in chain transfer of VNB (or ENB)‐last‐inserted species and some characteristics of living ethylene polymerization under limited conditions. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Titanium and Zirconium Complexes with Non‐Salicylaldimine‐Type Imine–Phenoxy Chelate Ligands: Syntheses,Structures, and Ethylene‐Polymerization Behavior

New Ti and Zr complexes that bear imine–phenoxy chelate ligands, [{2,4‐di‐tBu‐6‐(RCH=N)‐C₆H₄O}₂MCl₂] ( 1 : M=Ti, R=Ph; 2 : M=Ti, R=C₆F₅; 3 : M=Zr, R=Ph; 4 : M=Zr, R=C₆F₅), were synthesized and investigated as precatalysts for ethylene polymerization. ¹H NMR spectroscopy suggests that these complexes exist as mixtures of structural isomers. X‐ray crystallographic analysis of the adduct 1 ?HCl reveals that it exists as a zwitterionic complex in which H and Cl are situated in close proximity to one of the imine nitrogen atoms and the central metal, respectively. The X‐ray molecular structure also indicates that one imine phenoxy group with the syn C?N configuration functions as a bidentate ligand, whereas the other, of the anti C?N form, acts as a monodentate phenoxy ligand. Although Zr complexes 3 and 4 with methylaluminoxane (MAO) or [Ph₃C]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^?/AliBu₃ displayed moderate activity, the Ti congeners 1 and 2 , in association with an appropriate activator, catalyzed ethylene polymerization with high efficiency. Upon activation with MAO at 25 °C, 2 displayed a very high activity of 19900 (kg PE) (mol Ti)^?1 h^?1, which is comparable to that for [Cp₂TiCl₂] and [Cp₂ZrCl₂], although increasing the polymerization temperature did result in a marked decrease in activity. Complex 2 contains a C₆F₅ group on the imine nitrogen atom and mediated nonliving‐type polymerization, unlike the corresponding salicylaldimine‐type complex. Conversely, with [Ph₃C]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^?/AliBu₃ activation, 1 exhibited enhanced activity as the temperature was increased (25–75 °C) and maintained very high activity for 60 min at 75 °C (18740 (kg PE) (mol Ti)^?1 h^?1). ¹H NMR spectroscopic studies of the reaction suggest that this thermally robust catalyst system generates an amine–phenoxy complex as the catalytically active species. The combinations 1 /[Ph₃C]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]^?/AliBu₃ and 2 /MAO also worked as high‐activity catalysts for the copolymerization of ethylene and propylene.     

1‐Silacyclopent‐2‐enes and 1‐silacyclohex‐2‐enes bearing functionally substituted silyl groups in 2‐positions. Novel electron‐deficient Si?H?B bridges

The reactions of alkyn‐1‐yl(vinyl)silanes R₂Si[C?C‐Si(H)Me₂]CH?CH₂ [R = Me (1a), Ph (1b)], Me₂Si[C?C‐Si(Br)Me₂]CH?CH₂ (2a), and of alkyn‐1‐yl(allyl)silanes R₂Si[C?C‐Si(H)Me₂]CH₂CH?CH₂ (R = Me (3a), R = Ph (3b)] with 9‐borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane in a 1:1 ratio afford in high yield the 1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene derivatives 4a, b and 5a, and the 1‐silacyclohex‐2‐ene derivatives 6a, b, respectively, all of which bear a functionally substituted silyl group in 2‐position and the boryl group in 3‐position. This is the result of selective intermolecular 1,2‐hydroboration of the vinyl or allyl group, followed by intramolecular 1,1‐organoboration of the alkynyl group. In the cases of 4a, b, potential electron‐deficient Si? H? B bridges are absent or extremely weak, whereas in 6a,b the existence of Si? H? B bridges is evident from the NMR spectroscopic data (¹H, ¹¹B, ¹³C and ²⁹Si NMR). The molecular structure of 4b was determined by X‐ray analysis. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.