Hf[N(SO2C8F17)2]4-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts acylation in a fluorous biphase system

In a fluorous biphase system, Hf[N(SO₂C₈F₁₇)₂]₄ complex (1 mol %) catalyzes Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds such as anisole, toluene and chlorobenzene, and the corresponding aromatic ketones are obtained in satisfactory to high yields. The catalyst is selectively soluble in lower fluorous phase and can be easily recovered by simple phase separation. Furthermore, the catalyst can be reused without decrease of activity in most cases.     

Tin(IV) bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)amide complex as a highly selective Lewis acid catalyst for Baeyer-Villiger oxidation using hydrogen peroxide in a fluorous recyclable phase

Sn[N(SO₂C₈F₁₇)₂]₄ catalyst was shown to give an excellent yield and selectivity in a fluorous biphasic catalytic system for Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones by 35% aqueous hydrogen peroxide, a green, safe and cheap oxidant. Furthermore, the catalyst was completely recovered and reused in the fluorous immobilized phase without loss of activity.     

Mannich-type reaction of (1-methoxy-2-methylpropenyloxy)trimethylsilane with arylaldehydes and aromatic amines catalyzed by perfluorinated rare earth metal salts in fluorous phase

In this paper, we describe a useful Mannich-type reaction in fluorous phase. By use of perfluorodecalin (C₁₀F₁₈, cis- and trans-mixture) as a fluorous solvent and perfluorinated rare earth metal salts such as Sc(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃ or Yb(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃ (2.0 mol%) as a catalyst, the Mannich-type reaction of arylaldehydes with aromatic amines and (1-methoxy-2-methylpropenyloxy)trimethylsilane can be performed for many times without reloading the catalyst and the fluorous solvent.     

全氟辛基磺酸稀土金属盐催化氟两相酯化反应

制备了全氟辛基磺酸稀土金属盐[RE(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃, RE＝Sc, Y, La～Lu]并研究了该催化剂作用下氟两相酯化反应. 全氟己烷(C₆F₁₄)、全氟甲苯(C₇F₈)、全氟甲基环己烷(C₇F₁₄)、全氟辛烷(C₈F₁₈)、1-溴代全氟辛烷(C₈F₁₇Br)和全氟萘烷(C₁₀F₁₈, 顺式与反式的混合物)可作为该反应的氟溶剂. 研究表明Yb(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃和C₁₀F₁₈分别是最好的氟代催化剂和氟溶剂. 以Yb(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃为催化剂在C₁₀F₁₈中苯甲酸和异戊醇的酯化反应得率为99%. 含有催化剂的氟相通过简单的相分离, 就可回收利用, 氟相重复使用5次, 其催化活性减少不大.     

Rare earth(III) perfluorooctanesulfonates catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation in fluorous biphase system

The catalyst of rare earth(III) perfluorooctanesulfonates (RE(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃, RE = Sc, Y, La-Lu) were prepared from either rare earth chlorides(III) or oxides and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. The perflates thus obtained act as novel catalysts for Friedel-Crafts alkylation in fluorous biphasic system. Perfluorohexane (C₆F₁₄), perfluoromethylcyclohexane (C₇F₁₄), perfluorotoluene (C₇F₈), perfluorooctane (C₈F₁₈), perfluorooctyl bromide (C₈F₁₇Br) and perfluorodecalin (C₁₀F₁₈, cis- and trans-mixture) can be used as fluorous solvents for this reaction. By simple separation of the fluorous phase containing only catalyst, alkylation can be repeated many times.     

Heptadecafluorooctanesulfonic acid (C8F17SO3H) catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of olefinic sulfonamides in fluorous biphase system (FBS)

A practical, efficient, and environmentally benign intramolecular hydroamination of olefinic sulfonamides was carried out in fluorous biphase system (FBS) using commercially available heptadecafluorooctanesulfonic acid (C₈F₁₇SO₃H) as a catalyst and perfluorodecaline (C₁₀F₁₈, cis- and trans- mixture) as a fluorous solvent to produce the corresponding cyclic products in good yields. The Brønsted acid of C₈F₁₇SO₃H is easily recovered and recycled at least five times.     

Synthesis and characterization of fluorous (S)- and (R)-1-phenylethylamines that effect heat facilitated resolution of (±)-2-(8-carboxy-1-naphthylsulfinyl)benzoic acid via diastereomeric salt formation and study of their circular dichroism

Perfluoroalkyl- or nonafluoro-tert-butoxy-alkyl-substituted enantiopure amines having the structure PhCHCH₃(NR¹R²) [R¹ = H, CH₃; R² = (CH₂)₃C₈F₁₇, (CH₂)₂OC(CF₃)₃; R¹ = R² = (CH₂)₃C₈F₁₇, (CH₂)₂OC(CF₃)₃] are obtained in high yields, when (S)-(−)-1-phenylethylamine is reacted with readily accessible alkylating reagents or fluorous 2° amines (R¹ = H; R² = (CH₂)₃C₈F₁₇, (CH₂)₂OC(CF₃)₃) are methylated in a Leuckart-Wallach reaction. The solubility patterns of these novel chiral amines and their hydrochlorides are qualitatively described for a broad spectrum of solvents and the fluorous partition coefficients of the free bases are determined by GC. A novel method for the resolution of enantiomers is disclosed here, which involves the use a half-equivalent of the selected resolving agent in solvent water that displays low solubility for the crystalline diastereomeric salt(s) formed even at temperatures near to its boiling point. Compound (S)-(−)-PhCHCH₃[NH(CH₂)₃C₈F₁₇] is found to satisfy all the latter conditions and successfully used for the heat facilitated resolution of the title racemic acid. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of six novel fluorous (S)-(−)-1-phenylethylamine derivatives are measured in ethanol, trifluoroethanol and hexafluoropropan-2-ol and discussed in detail.     

The synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepines in a fluorous aqueous emulsion

The synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepine derivatives was smoothly carried out in a fluorous aqueous emulsion system composed of perfluorooctane (C₈F₁₈) and potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate (C₈F₁₇SO₃K, KFOS) at room temperature. The aqueous perfluorinated emulsion can be recovered and used again without a significant loss of efficiency.     

Preparation of High-Purity Ammonium Tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate for the Activation of Olefin Polymerization Catalysts

Homogeneous olefin polymerization catalysts are activated in situ with a co-catalyst ([PhN(Me)₂-H]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻ or [Ph₃C]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻) in bulk polymerization media. These co-catalysts are insoluble in hydrocarbon solvents, requiring excess co-catalyst (>3 eq.). Feeding the activated species as a solution in an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent may be advantageous over the in situ activation method. In this study, highly pure and soluble ammonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borates ([Me(C₁₈H₃₇)₂N-H]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻ and [(C₁₈H₃₇)₂NH₂]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻) containing neither water nor Cl⁻ salt impurities were prepared easily via the acid–base reaction of [PhN(Me)₂-H]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻ and the corresponding amine. Using the prepared ammonium salts, the activation reactions of commercial-process-relevant metallocene (rac-[ethylenebis(tetrahydroindenyl)]Zr(Me)₂ (1-ZrMe₂), [Ph₂C(Cp)(3,6-^tBu₂Flu)]Hf(Me)₂ (3-HfMe₂), [Ph₂C(Cp)(2,7-^tBu₂Flu)]Hf(Me)₂ (4-HfMe₂)) and half-metallocene complexes ([(η⁵-Me₄C₅)Si(Me)₂(κ-N^tBu)]Ti(Me)₂ (5-TiMe₂), [(η⁵-Me₄C₅)(C₉H₉(κ-N))]Ti(Me)₂ (6-TiMe₂), and [(η⁵-Me₃C₇H₁S)(C₁₀H₁₁(κ-N))]Ti(Me)₂ (7-TiMe₂)) were monitored in C₆D₁₂ with ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Stable [L-M(Me)(NMe(C₁₈H₃₇)₂)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻ species were cleanly generated from 1-ZrMe₂, 3-HfMe₂, and 4-HfMe₂, while the species types generated from 5-TiMe₂, 6-TiMe₂, and 7-TiMe₂ were unstable for subsequent transformation to other species (presumably, [L-Ti(CH₂N(C₁₈H₃₇)₂)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻-type species). [L-TiCl(N(H)(C₁₈H₃₇)₂)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻-type species were also prepared from 5-TiCl(Me) and 6-TiCl(Me), which were newly prepared in this study. The prepared [L-M(Me)(NMe(C₁₈H₃₇)₂)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻-, [L-Ti(CH₂N(C₁₈H₃₇)₂)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻-, and [L-TiCl(N(H)(C₁₈H₃₇)₂)]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻-type species, which are soluble and stable in aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, were highly active in ethylene/1-octene copolymerization performed in aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents.     

Air-stable titanocene bis(perfluorooctanesulfonate) as a new catalyst for acylation of alcohols, phenols, thiols, and amines under solvent-free condition

Air-stable titanocene bis(perfluorooctanesulfonate) [Cp₂Ti(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₂] that shows high Lewis acidity was prepared from Cp₂TiCl₂ and AgOSO₂C₈F₁₇. The compound was characterized by different techniques, and examined as a catalyst for acylation reactions. It was found that using equimolar acetic anhydride as acetylating agent and under solvent-free condition, Cp₂Ti(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₂ exhibits high activity and selectivity in the acetylation of various alcohols, phenols, thiols, and amines. Also, good catalytic efficiency is observed in the acylation of 2-phenylethanol across various acylating reagents. The catalyst can be reused without loss of activity in a test of ten cycles. The Cp₂Ti(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₂ catalyst affords a simple, efficient and general method for the acylation of alcohols, phenols, thiols, and amines.     

Synthesis and surface activities of organic solvent-soluble fluorinated surfactants

A variety of fluorinated surfactants soluble in organic solvent were prepared, including C₈F₁₇SO₂NHC_nH_2n+1 (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), C₈F₁₇SO₂NHR (R = C₆H₁₁, C₆H₅), C₈F₁₇SO₂N(C_nH_2n+1)₂ (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) and C₈F₁₇SO₂NH(CH₂)_nNHO₂SC₈F₁₇ (n = 6, 10). Their surface activities in various organic solvents were determined by surface tension measurement. The results showed that these fluorinated surfactants can reduce the surface tension of both polar and non-polar organic solvents. In general, organic solvents with strong polarity or long alkyl chain are beneficial to increase the surface activity of these polar fluorinated surfactants. By comparing fluorinated surfactants with the same fluorocarbon segment and connecting group, C₈F₁₇SO₂N(C_nH_2n+1)₂ (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) showed lower surface activity in organic solvents than C₈F₁₇SO₂NHC_nH_2n+1 (n = 2, 4, 6, 8) with an equal carbon number of the solvophilic group. Through surface tension vs. concentration curves given for N-octyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide in various organic solvents, a break point like the critical micelle concentration of ordinary surfactants in aqueous solutions was observed, and the effect of the different types of organic solvents on adsorption and aggregation behavior was also studied.     

Understanding the role of an easy-to-prepare aldimine-alkyne carboamination catalyst, [Ti(NMe2)3(NHMe2)][B(C6F5)4]

A series of reactivity studies of the carboamination pre-catalyst [Ti(NMe₂)₃(NHMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] as well as the preparation of other catalysts are reported in this work. Treatment of [Ti(NMe₂)₃(NHMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] with the aldimines Ar′NCHtol (Ar′ = 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃, tol = 4-MeC₆H₄), and depending on the reaction conditions, results in isolation of [Me₂NCHR′][B(C₆F₅)₄] (1) or (Me₂N)₂CHtol, as well as the asymmetric titanium dimer [(Me₂N)₂(HNMe₂)Ti(μ₂-N[2,6-Me₂C₆H₃])₂Ti(NHMe₂)(NMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] (2). Protonation of CpTi(NMe₂)₃ and Cp^∗Ti(NMe₂)₃ results in isolation of the salts, [CpTi(NMe₂)₂(NHMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] (3) and [Cp^∗Ti(NMe₂)₂(NHMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] (4), respectively. Treatment of compounds 3 or 4 with H₂N[2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃] results in formation of the imido salts [CpTi(N[2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃])(NHMe₂)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] (5) (58% yield) or [Cp^∗Ti(N[2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃])(NHMe₂)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] (6). When Ti(NMe₂)₄ is treated with [Et₃Si][B(C₆F₅)₄], the salt [Ti(NMe₂)₃(N[SiEt₃]Me₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] (7) is obtained, and treatment of the latter with [2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃]NCHtol produces the imine adduct [Ti(NMe₂)₃(κ¹-[2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃]NCHtol)][B(C₆F₅)₄] (8). The carboamination catalytic activity of complexes 2-7 was investigated and compared to [Ti(NMe₂)₃(NHMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄]. Likewise, a proposed mechanism to the active carboamination catalyst stemming from [Ti(NMe₂)₃(NHMe₂)][B(C₆F₅)₄] is described.     

Highly fluorous zirconocene(IV) complexes and their catalytic applications in the polymerization of ethylene

The catalytic activities of the highly fluorous systems formed by the zirconocene(IV) complexes [Zr{η⁵-C₅H₄SiMe₂C₂H₄R_F}₂Cl₂] (R_F = C₆F₁₃ (4a), C₁₀F₂₁ (4b)) or [Zr-{η⁵-C₅H₃(SiMe₂C₂H₄C₆F₁₃)₂}₂Cl₂] (5a) and MMAO in toluene have been studied and compared with analogous nonfluorous systems generated from [Zr{η⁵-C₅H₄SiMe₃}₂Cl₂] and [Zr{η⁵-C₅H₅}₂Cl₂]. Although less active than the reference systems, the fluorous catalysts are stable over prolonged polymerization times, giving rise to polymers with similar molecular weights to those obtained with [Zr{η⁵-C₅H₄SiMe₃}₂Cl₂].     

Comparison of Characteristic Structural Features among the Triade of Tris(cyclopentadienyl)(Group-4 Metal) Complex Cations: a Combined Theoretical and Experimental Study

A density functional theory computational chemistry study has revealed a fundamental structural difference between [Ti(Cp)₃]⁺ and its congeners [Zr(Cp)₃]⁺ and [Hf(Cp)₃]⁺/(Cp=cyclopentadienyl). Whereas the latter two are found to contain three uniformely η⁵-coordinated Cp ligands (3η⁵-structural type), [Ti(Cp)₃]⁺ is shown to prefer a 2η⁵η² structure. [Ti(Cp)₃]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₃(Me)]⁻ ( 10 ⋅[B(C₆F₅)₃(Me)]⁻) was experimentally generated by treatment of [Ti(Cp)₃(Me)] ( 7a ) with B(C₆F₅)₃ (Scheme 3). Low-temperature ¹H-NMR spectroscopy in CDFCl₂ (143 K, 600 MHz; Fig. 8) showed a splitting of the Cp resonance into five lines in a 2 : 5 : 2 : 5 : 1 ratio which would be in accord with the theoretically predicted 2η⁵η²-type structure of [Ti(Cp)₃]⁺. The precursor [Ti(Cp)₃(Me)] ( 7a ) exhibits two ¹H-NMR Cp resonances in a 10 : 5 ratio in CD₂Cl₂ at 223 K. Treatment of [HfCl(Cp)₂(Me)] ( 6c ) with sodium cyclopentadienide gave [Hf(Cp)₃(Me)] ( 7c ) (Scheme 1). Its reaction with B(C₆F₅)₃ furnished the salt [Hf(Cp)₃]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₃(Me)]⁻ ( 8 ⋅[B(C₆F₅)₃(Me)]⁻), which reacted with tert-butyl isocyanide to give the cationic complex [Hf(Cp)₃(C=N−CMe₃)]⁺ ( 9a ; with counterion [B(C₆F₅)₃(Me)]⁻ (Scheme 2). Complex cation 9a was characterized by X-ray diffraction (Fig. 7). Its Hf(Cp₃) moiety is of the 3η⁵-type. The structure is distorted trigonal-pyramidal with an average D−Hf−D angle of 118.8° and an average D−Hf−C(1) angle of 96.5° (D denotes the centroids of the Cp rings; Table 6). Cation 9a is a typical d⁰-isocyanide complex exhibiting structural parameters of the C≡N−CMe₃ group (d(C(1)−N(2))=1.146 (5) Å; IR: v˜(C≡N) 2211 cm⁻¹) very similar to free uncomplexed isonitrile. Analogous treatment of 8 with carbon monoxide yielded the carbonyl (d⁰-group-4-metal) complex [Hf(Cp)₃(CO)]⁺ ( 9b ; with counterion [B(C₆F₅)₃(Me)]⁻) (Scheme 2) that was also characterized by X-ray crystal-structure analysis (Fig. 6). Complex 9b is also of the 3η⁵-structural type, similar to the peviously described cationic complex [Zr(Cp)₃(CO)]⁺, and exhibits properties of the CO ligand (d(C−O)=1.11 (2) Å; IR: v˜(C≡O) 2137 cm⁻¹) very similar to the free carbon monoxide molecule.     

Synthesis and Structure of Amido‐ and Imido(pentafluorophenyl)borane Zirconocene and Hafnocene Complexes: N?H and B?H Activation

Treatment of Me₂S ? B(C₆F₅)_nH_3?n (n=1 or 2) with ammonia yields the corresponding adducts. H₃N ? B(C₆F₅)H₂ dimerises in the solid state through N? H???H? B dihydrogen interactions. The adducts can be deprotonated to give lithium amidoboranes Li[NH₂B(C₆F₅)_nH_3?n]. Reaction of the n=2 reagent with [Cp₂ZrCl₂] leads to disubstitution, but [Cp₂Zr{NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}₂] is in equilibrium with the product of β‐hydride elimination [Cp₂Zr(H){NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}], which proves to be the major isolated solid. The analogous reaction with [Cp₂HfCl₂] gives a mixture of [Cp₂Hf{NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}₂] and the N? H activation product [Cp₂Hf{NHB(C₆F₅)₂H}]. [Cp₂Zr{NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}₂] ? PhMe and [Cp₂Hf{NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}₂] ? 4(thf) exhibit β‐B‐agostic chelate bonding of one of the two amidoborane ligands in the solid state. The agostic hydride is invariably coordinated to the outside of the metallocene wedge. Exceptionally, [Cp₂Hf{NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}₂] ? PhMe has a structure in which the two amidoborane ligands adopt an intermediate coordination mode, in which neither is definitively agostic. [Cp₂Hf{NHB(C₆F₅)₂H}] has a formally dianionic imidoborane ligand chelating through an agostic interaction, but the bond‐length distribution suggests a contribution from a zwitterionic amidoborane resonance structure. Treatment of the zwitterions [Cp₂MMe(μ‐Me)B(C₆F₅)₃] (M=Zr, Hf) with Li[NH₂B(C₆F₅)_nH_3?n] (n=2) results in [Cp₂MMe{NH₂B(C₆F₅)₂H}] complexes, for which the spectroscopic data, particularly ¹J(B,H), again suggest β‐B‐agostic interactions. The reactions proceed similarly for the structurally encumbered [Cp′′₂ZrMe(μ‐Me)B(C₆F₅)₃] precursor (Cp′′=1,3‐C₅H₃(SiMe₃)₂, n=1 or 2) to give [Cp′′₂ZrMe{NH₂B(C₆F₅)_nH_3?n}], both of which have been structurally characterised and show chelating, agostic amidoborane coordination. In contrast, the analogous hafnium chemistry leads to the recovery of [Cp′′₂HfMe₂] and the formation of Li[HB(C₆F₅)₃] through hydride abstraction.     

Organonickel(II) Complexes with Anionic N-Donor Ligands. Hydration of coordinated nitriles at a nickel(II) site

The hydroxo complex (Bu₄N)₂[Ni₂(C₆F₅)₄(μ-OH)₂]reacts with 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoro benzenamine (C₆F₅-NH₂), 1,3-diaryltriaz-1-enes (ArNH? N=N? Ar, Ar = Ph, 4-MeC₆H₄, 4-MeOC₆H₄), 7-aza-1H-indole (= 1H-pyrrolo[2.3-b]pyridine; Hazind), N-phenylpyridin-2-amine(pyNHPh), and N-phenylpyridine-2-carboxamide (py-CONHPh) at room temperature in acetone to give the binuclear complexes (Bu₄N)₂[Ni₂(C₆F₅)₄(μ-C₆F₅NH)₂] ( 1 ) and (Bu₄N)₂[{Ni(C₆F₅)₂} 2(μ-OH)(μ-azind)] ( 2 ) and the mononuclear complexes Bu₄N[Ni(C₆F₅)2(ArN₃Ar)] ( 3 – 5 ), Bu₄N[Ni(C₆F₅)₂(pyNPh)] ( 6 ), and Bu₄N[Ni(C₆F₅)₂(pyCONPh)] ( 7 ). The hydroxo.complex (Bu₄N)₂[{Ni(C₆F₅)2-(μ-OH)}₂] promotes the nucleophilic addition of water to pyridine-2-carbonitrile, 2-aminoacetonitrile, and 2-(dimethylamino)acetonitrile, and complexes 8 – 10 containing pyridine-2-carboxamidato, 2-aminoacetamidato and 2-(dimethylamino)acetamidato ligands are formed. Analytical (C, H, N) and spectroscopic (IR, ¹H and ¹⁹F-NMR, and FAB-MS) data were used for structural assignments. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of (Bu₄N)₂[{Ni(C₆F₅)₂}₂(μ-OH)(μ-azind)] ( 2 ) established the binuclear nature of the anion; the two Ni-atoms are bridged by an OH group and a 7-aza-7H-indol-7-yl group, but the central Ni? O? Ni? N? C? N ring is not planar, the dihedral angle between the Ni? O? Ni and Ni? N? C? N? Ni planes being 84.4°.     

Synthesis and catalytic application of monometallic molybdenum(IV) nitrile complexes

The novel molybdenum(IV) compound [MoO(NCMe)₅][B(C₆F₅)₄]₂ (1a) has been prepared by air oxidation of [Mo(CO)₃(NCMe)₃] in the presence of [H(OEt₂)₂][B(C₆F₅)₄] at room temperature. The [MoO(NCMe)₅]²⁺ cation shows a distorted octahedral configuration with two different acetonitrile-metal bond lengths due to a trans effect of the oxo-ligand. The trans-acetonitrile ligand is easily abstracted under oil pump vacuum to form [MoO(NCMe)₄][B(C₆F₅)₄]₂ (1b). The complex [MoO(NCPh)₄][B(C₆F₅)₄]₂ (2) is formed by substitution of acetonitrile ligands of 1a with benzonitrile molecules. The Mo(IV) complexes can be applied in the homopolymerization of isobutene at 30 °C leading to high yields and moderate molecular weights.     

Preparation and properties of stable mono-, tris-, tetrakis- or hexakis(pentahalophenyl)thalliate(III) complexes

Reaction of TlR₂X, TlX₃ and [TlX₄^? with RLi ( R = C₆F₅ or C₆Cl₅) leads to derivatives containing anions of the types [TlR₄]^?, [TlR₂R′₂]^? or [TlR₆]^3?. Reactions of TlCl₃ with [TlR₄]^? lead to [(μ-Cl)(TlR₂Cl)₂]^? (R = C₆F₅) or [TlRCl₃]^? (R = C₆Cl₅) while addition of X^? (X = Br^? or SCN^?) to Tl(C₆Cl₅)₃ gives [Tl- (C₆Cl₅)₃X]^?. All the novel anions were isolated as salts of bulky cations (Me₄N, Bu₄N, PPN or Ph₃BzP).     

Kinetic and mechanism of alkene polymerization

Triphenylmethyl salts of the very weakly-coordinating borate anions [CN{B(C₆F₅)₃}₂]⁻ (1), [H₂N{(C₆F₅)₃}₂]⁻ and [M{CNB(C₆F₅)₃}₄]²⁻ (M = Ni, Pd) have been prepared in simple one-pot reactions. Mixtures of (SBI)ZrMe₂/1/AlBu ₃ ⁱ (SBI = rac-Me₂Si(Ind)₂) are 30–40 times more active in ethylene polymerizations at 60–100°C than (SBI)ZrCl₂/MAO. The quantification of anion effects on propene polymerization activity at 20°C gives the order [CN{B(C₆F₅)₃}₂]⁻ > [H₂N{(C₆F₅)₃}₂]⁻ ≈ B(C₆F₅) ₄ ⁻ ≫ [MeB(C₆F₅)₃]⁻. The highest productivities were of the order of ca. 3.0 × 10⁸ g PP (mol Zr)⁻¹ h⁻¹ [C₃H₆]⁻¹, about 1.3–1.5 times higher than with B(C₆F₅) ₄ ⁻ as the counter anion. The titanium system CGCTiMe₂/1/AlBu ₃ ⁱ gave activities that were very similar to the zirconocene catalyst. The concentration of active species [C*] as determined by quenched-flow kinetic techniques indicates typical values of around 10%, independent of the counter anion, for both the borate and MAO systems. Pulsed field-gradient spin echo and nuclear Overhauser effect NMR experiments on systems designed to be more realistic models for active species with longer polymeryl chains, (SBI)M(CH₂SiMe₃)(μ-Me)B(C₆F₅)₃ and [(SBI)MCH₂SiMe ₃ ⁺ ...B(C₆F₅) ₄ ⁻ ] (M = Zr, Hf), demonstrated the influence of bulky alkyl chains on the ion pair solution structures: while the MeB(C₆F₅)₃ compound exists as a simple inner-sphere ion-pair, the B(C₆F₅) ₄ ⁻ compound is an outer-sphere ion pair (OSIP), a consequence of the relegation of the anion into the second coordination sphere by the γ-agostic interaction with the alkyl ligand. The OSIP aggregates to ion hextuples (10 mM) or quadruples (2 mM). Implications for the polymerization mechanism are discussed; the process follows an associative interchange (I _a) pathway. The text was submitted by the authors in English.