Rheological and structural studies of liquid decane, hexadecane, and tetracosane under planar elongational flow using nonequilibrium molecular-dynamics simulations

We report for the first time rheological and structural properties of liquid decane, hexadecane, and tetracosane using nonequilibrium molecular-dynamics (NEMD) simulations under planar elongational flow (PEF). The underlying NEMD algorithm employed is the so-called p-SLLOD algorithm [C. Baig, B. J. Edwards, D. J. Keffer, and H. D. Cochran, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 114103 (2005)]. Two elongational viscosities are measured, and they are shown not to be equal to each other, indicating two independent viscometric functions in PEF. With an appropriate definition, it is observed that the two elongational viscosities converge to each other at very low elongation rates, i.e., in the Newtonian regime. For all three alkanes, tension-thinning behavior is observed. At high elongation rates, chains appear to be fully stretched. This is supported by the result of the mean-square end-to-end distance of chains (R(ete2)) and the mean-square radius of gyration of chains (R(g2)), and further supported by the result of the intramolecular Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential energy. It is also observed that (R(ete2)) and (R(g2)) show a different trend as a function of strain rate from those in shear flow: after reaching a plateau value, (R(ete2)) and (R(g2)) are found to increase further as elongation rate increases. A minimum in the hydrostatic pressure is observed for hexadecane and tetracosane at about epsilon(msigma2/epsilon)1/2=0.02. This phenomenon is shown to be associated with the intermolecular LJ potential energy. The bond-bending and torsional energies display similar trends, but a different behavior is observed for the bond-stretching energy. An important observation common in these three bonded-intramolecular interactions is that all three modes are suppressed to a small value at high elongation rates. We conjecture that a liquid-crystal-like, nematic structure is present in these systems at high elongation rates, which is characterized by a strong chain alignment with a fully stretched conformation.     

Nanoscale colloids in a freely adsorbing polymer solution: a Monte Carlo simulation study

A key issue in nanoscale materials and chemical processing is the need for thermodynamic and kinetic models covering colloid-polymer systems over the mesoscopic length scale (approximately 1-100 nm). We have applied Monte Carlo simulations to attractive nanoscale colloid-polymer mixtures toward developing a molecular basis for models of these complex systems. The expanded ensemble Monte Carlo simulation method is applied to calculate colloid chemical potentials (micro(c)) and polymer adsorption (gamma) in the presence of freely adsorbing Lennard-Jones (LJ) homopolymers (surface modifiers). gamma and micro(c) are studied as a function of nanoparticle diameter (sigma(c)), modifier chain length (n) and concentration, and colloid-polymer attractive strength over 0.3 < Rg/sigma(c) < 6 (Rg is the polymer radius of gyration). In the attractive regime, nanocolloid chemical potential decreases and adsorbed amount increases as sigma(c), or n is increased. The scaling of gamma with n from the simulations agrees with the theory of Aubouy and Raphael (Macromolecules 1998, 31, 4357) in the extreme limits of Rg/sigma(c). When Rg/sigma(c) is large, the "colloid" approaches a molecular size and interacts only locally with a few polymer segments and gamma approximately n. When Rg/sigma(c) is small, the system approaches the conventional colloid-polymer size regime where multiple chains interact with a single particle, and gamma approximately sigma(c)2, independent of n. In contrast, adsorption in the mesoscopic range of Rg/sigma(c) investigated here is represented well by a power law gamma approximately n(p), with 0 < p < 1 depending on concentration and LJ attractive strength. Likewise, the chemical potential from our results is fitted well with micro(c) approximately n(q)sigma(c)3, where the cubic term results from the sigma(c) dependence of particle surface area (approximately sigma(c)2) and LJ attractive magnitude (approximately sigma(c)). The q-exponent for micro(c) (micro(c) approximately n(q)) varies with composition and LJ attractive strength but is always very close to the power exponent for gamma (gamma approximately n(p)). This result leads to the conclusion that in attractive systems, polymer adsorption (and thus polymer-colloid attraction) dominates the micro(c) dependence on n, providing a molecular interpretation of the effect of adsorbed organic layers on nanoparticle stability and self-assembly.     

Novel mu5-coordination modes of aryl and alkyl ethynides and classification of metal-ligand interactions in silver(I) complexes

Novel mu(5)-eta(1),eta(1),eta(1),eta(1),eta(2) and mu(5)-eta(1),eta(1),eta(1),eta(2),eta(2) coordination modes of alkyl and aryl ethynide moieties are found in silver(I) complexes 1-5, and the metal-ligand distances can be classified into sigma, pi and mixed (sigma,pi) types. With the consistent square-pyramidal capping Ag(5) baskets of the ethynide moiety as supramolecular synthons, a series of two- and three-dimensional coordination networks are obtained.     

Influence of the molecular weight on the elongational behaviour of polypropylene and on the fibre orientation factors

This study shows that the elongational behaviour depends upon molecular weight and upon elongational rate. If the molecular weight is low, elongational viscosity reaches rapidly a steady value but, if the molecular weight is high, the viscosity (or the elongational stress) increases continuously with the time. These behaviours may be explained in comparison of the relaxation rate determined by shear rheology as the reciprocal relaxation time with the elongation rate ϵ. If the elongation rate is lower than the relaxation rate the polypropylene chains may relax and the elongational viscosity reaches a steady value with the time. For high fluidity polypropylene the range of elongation rates within of which the elongational viscosity is constant with time is very large. On the contrary, if the elongational rate is higher than relaxation rate the polypropylene chains undergo a continuous deformation and then the elongational viscosity increases with time. The range of elongational rates within of which the stress is constant is narrow for high-molecular-weight polypropylene. Furthermore, the elongational behaviour influences the chain orientation in the crystalline and amorphous phases of the fibres. If the polymer chains are quenched in a relaxed state the orientation is lowered as shown with high fluidity polypropylenes. On the contrary, if the chains are cooled in extended state their orientation may subsist during crystallisation and the orientation factors may reach high values as shown with high-molecular-weight polypropylene.     

Reduction of bis

The reduction of symmetric, fully-substituted titanocene dichlorides bearing two pendant omega-alkenyl groups, [TiCl2(eta5-C5Me4R)2], R = CH(Me)CH= CH2 (1a). (CH2)2CH=CH2 (1b) and (CH2)3CH=CH2 (1c), by magnesium in tetrahydrofuran affords bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanacyclopentanes [Ti(IV)[eta1:eta1: eta5:eta5-C5Me4CH(Me)CH(Ti)CH2CH(CH2(Ti))CH(Me)C5Me4]] (2a), [Ti(IV)[eta1:eta1:eta5: eta5-C5Me4(CH2)2CH(Ti)(CH2)2CH(Ti)(CH2)2C5Me4]] (2b) and [Ti(IV)[eta1:eta1:eta5:eta5-C5Me4(CH2)2CH(Ti)CH(Me)CH(Me)CH(Ti)(CH2)2C5Me4]](2c), respectively, as the products of oxidative coupling of the double bonds across a titanocene intermediate. For the case of complex 1c, a product of a double bond isomerisation is obtained owing to a preferred formation of five-membered titanacycles. The reaction of the titanacyclopentanes with PbCl2 recovers starting materials 1a from 2a and 1b from 2b, but complex 2c affords, under the same conditions, an isomer of 1c with a shifted carbon - carbon double bond, [TiCl[eta5-C5Me4(CH2CH2CH=CHMe)]2] (1c'). The titanacycles 2a-c can be opened by HCl to give ansa-titanocene dichlorides ansa-[[eta5:eta5-C5Me4CH(Me)CH2CH2CH(Me)CH(Me)C5Me4]TiCl2] (3a), ansa-[[eta5:eta5-C5Me4(CH2)8C5Me4]TiCl2] (3b), along with a minor product ansa-[[eta5:eta5-C5Me4CH2CH=CH(CH2)5C5Me4]TiCl2] (3b'), and ansa-[[eta5:eta5-CsMe4(CH2)3CH(Me)CH(Me)CH=CHCH2C5Me4]TiCl2] (3c), respectively, with the bridging aliphatic chain consisting of five (3a) and eight (3b, 3b' and 3c) carbon atoms. The course of the acidolysis changes with the nature of the pendant group; while the cyclopentadienyl ring-linking carbon chains in 3a and 3b are fully saturated, compounds 3c and 3b' contain one asymetrically placed carbon-carbon double bond, which evidently arises from the beta-hydrogen elimination that follows the HCl addition.     

二茂铁在几种离子液体中的迁移行为

采用循环伏安法研究了二茂铁(Fc)在几种离子液体中的迁移行为. 计算了Fc在各离子液体中的扩散系数和粘度系数,探讨了离子液体粘度与离子液体结构之间的关系. 实验结果表明, 离子液体的粘度随阳离子取代基碳链长度的增加而增加, 随阴离子对称性的增加而增加.     

Coordination chemistry of the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion: molecular interactions in room temperature ionic liquids

Room temperature ionic liquids composed of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions and 1,3-ethylmethylimidazolium (EMI) cations are shown to stabilize monomeric ligand deficient transition metal complexes via four distinct binding modes: monodentate nitrogen or oxygen coordination and/or bidentate oxygen-oxygen' or nitrogen-oxygen coordination (eta1-N, eta1-O, eta2-O,O' and eta2-N,O).     

Intermolecular interactions and dynamics of room temperature ionic liquids that have silyl- and siloxy-substituted imidazolium cations

The intermolecular interactions and dynamics of novel ionic liquids with alkylsilyl and alkylsiloxy substitutions on the cations are studied by measuring the intermolecular vibrational spectra and reorientational dynamics using femtosecond Kerr effect methods. The new ionic liquids include 1-dimethylphenylsilylmethyl-3-methylimidazolium (PhSi-mim+), and 1-methyl-3-pentamethyldisiloxymethylimidazolium (SiOSi-mim+) cations paired with the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NTf(2)-) anion. Measured ionic liquid viscosities are surprisingly low for such bulky cation substituents. DFT electronic structure calculations on the isolated ions provide additional information about the electrostatic interactions.     

氟代寡聚噻吩系列衍生物的载流子传输性质的理论研究

基于密度泛函理论方法, 采用Marcus电荷转移公式, 分别从几何和电子结构、 重组能、 转移积分及迁移率等方面研究了氟代寡聚噻吩系列衍生物中噻吩环个数、 全氟代苯位置的改变及F原子的引入对体系载流子传输性质的影响. 计算结果表明, 化合物1b, 1c和1d的电子迁移率随着噻吩单元个数的增加而逐渐升高, 因此可以通过增加噻吩单元个数来提高其电子迁移率; 而对于化合物1d, 2a和2b而言, 氟代苯位置的改变对传输性质产生了较大的影响, 其中化合物1d具有良好的平面性和π-π堆积, 传输性能最好, 有望成为良好的双极性传输材料; 比较化合物2b与3可以发现, F原子的引入增大了化合物2b的载流子迁移率, 为实验设计高迁移率的传输材料提供了理论依据.     

Crystal growth kinetics exhibit a fragility-dependent decoupling from viscosity

In this paper we establish the temperature dependence of the kinetic coefficient associated with crystal growth into the supercooled liquid for a wide range of organic and inorganic materials. We show that the kinetic coefficient for crystal growth scales with the shear viscosity eta as eta(-xi) and that the exponent depends systematically on the fragility of the liquid. The greater the fragility (i.e., deviation away from an Arrhenius temperature dependence for eta), the larger the difference 1-xi. We argue that this breakdown in scaling between the crystal growth kinetics and the viscosity is a manifestation of heterogeneous dynamics in supercooled liquids. In addition, we show that the absolute growth rate at intermediate viscosities is correlated with the entropy difference between the liquid and the crystal.     

Intermolecular vibrations and fast relaxations in supercooled ionic liquids

Short-time dynamics of ionic liquids has been investigated by low-frequency Raman spectroscopy (4 < ω < 100 cm(-1)) within the supercooled liquid range. Raman spectra are reported for ionic liquids with the same anion, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and different cations: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium, trimethylbutylammonium, and tributylmethylammonium. It is shown that low-frequency Raman spectroscopy provides similar results as optical Kerr effect (OKE) spectroscopy, which has been used to study intermolecular vibrations in ionic liquids. The comparison of ionic liquids containing aromatic and non-aromatic cations identifies the characteristic feature in Raman spectra usually assigned to librational motion of the imidazolium ring. The strength of the fast relaxations (quasi-elastic scattering, QES) and the intermolecular vibrational contribution (boson peak) of ionic liquids with non-aromatic cations are significantly lower than imidazolium ionic liquids. A correlation length assigned to the boson peak vibrations was estimated from the frequency of the maximum of the boson peak and experimental data of sound velocity. The correlation length related to the boson peak (～19 A?) does not change with the length of the alkyl chain in imidazolium cations, in contrast to the position of the first-sharp diffraction peak observed in neutron and X-ray scattering measurements of ionic liquids. The rate of change of the QES intensity in the supercooled liquid range is compared with data of excess entropy, free volume, and mean-squared displacement recently reported for ionic liquids. The temperature dependence of the QES intensity in ionic liquids illustrates relationships between short-time dynamics and long-time structural relaxation that have been proposed for glass-forming liquids.     

Birefringence of polyethylene melt in transient elongational flow at constant strain rate

Simultaneous birefringence and elongational viscosity measurements were carried out on molten commercial grade, low-density polyethylenes during simple elongational flow at constant strain rate and constant temperature. The birefringence increased with time during constant strain rate elongation. The increase in birefringence was a linear function of elongational stress throughout whole elongation, but the elongational viscosity increased in two stages. The increase in elongational viscosity can be divided into linear viscoelastic and nonlnear viscoelastic regions. The linear region appeared at small strain and the nonlinear region appeared at strain greater than 0.7. The elongational viscosity in the nonlinear region increased much more rapidly than that in the linear region. The Gaussian approximation, which is commonly used in molecular models, could be used for the transient elongational flow. A constant stress-optical coefficient C = 1.3 × 10^?10 cm²/dyn was obtained for all the elongational experiments, independent of strain rate (0.002-0.2s^?1). The stress-optical coefficients were weakly dependent on temperature, as predicted by the theory of rubber elasticity.     

The role of pressure in rubber elasticity

We describe a series of molecular dynamics computations that reveal an intimate connection at the atomic scale between difference stress (which resists stretches) and pressure (which resists volume changes) in an idealized elastomer, in contrast to the classical theory of rubber elasticity. Our simulations idealize the elastomer as a "pearl necklace," in which the covalent bonds are stiff linear springs, while nonbonded atoms interact through a Lennard-Jones potential with energy epsilon(LJ) and radius sigma(LJ). We calculate the difference stress t(11)-(t(22)+t(33))/2 and mean stress (t(11)+t(22)+t(33))/3 induced by a constant volume extension in the x(1) direction, as a function of temperature T and reduced density rho(*)=Nsigma(IJ) (3)/nu. Here, N is the number of atoms in the simulation cell and nu is the cell volume. Results show that for rho(*)<1, the difference stress is purely entropic and is in good agreement with the classical affine network model of rubber elasticity, which neglects nonbonded interactions. However, data presented by van Krevelen [Properties of Polymers, 3rd ed. (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1990), p. 79] indicate that rubber at standard conditions corresponds to rho(*)=1.2. For rho(*)>1, the system is entropic for kT/epsilon(LJ)>2, but at lower temperatures the difference stress contains an additional energy component, which increases as rho(*) increases and temperature decreases. Finally, the model exhibits a glass transition for rho(*)=1.2 and kT/epsilon(LJ) approximately 2. The atomic-scale processes responsible for generating stress are explored in detail. Simulations demonstrate that the repulsive portion of the Lennard-Jones potential provides a contribution sigma(nbr)>0 to the difference stress, the attractive portion provides sigma(nba) approximately 0, while the covalent bonds provide sigma(b)<0. In contrast, their respective contributions to the mean stress satisfy Pi(nbr)<0, Pi(nba)>0, and Pi(b)<0. Analytical calculations, together with simulations, demonstrate that mean and difference stresses are related by sigma(nbr)=-APi(nbr)P(2)(theta(b)), sigma(b)=BPi(b)P(2)(theta(b)), where P(2)(theta(b)) is a measure of the anisotropy of the orientation of the covalent bonds, and A and B are coefficients that depend weakly on rho(*) and temperature. For high values of rho(*), we find that [sigma(nbr)]>[sigma(b)], and in this regime our model predicts behavior that is in good agreement with experimental data of D.L. Quested et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 52, 5977 (1981)] for the influence of pressure on the difference stress induced by stretching solithane.     

Computer simulation study of the global phase behavior of linear rigid Lennard-Jones chain molecules: comparison with flexible models

The global phase behavior (i.e., vapor-liquid and fluid-solid equilibria) of rigid linear Lennard-Jones (LJ) chain molecules is studied. The phase diagrams for three-center and five-center rigid model molecules are obtained by computer simulation. The segment-segment bond lengths are L = sigma, so that models of tangent monomers are considered in this study. The vapor-liquid equilibrium conditions are obtained using the Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo method and by performing isobaric-isothermal NPT calculations at zero pressure. The phase envelopes and critical conditions are compared with those of flexible LJ molecules of tangent segments. An increase in the critical temperature of linear rigid chains with respect to their flexible counterparts is observed. In the limit of infinitely long chains the critical temperature of linear rigid LJ chains of tangent segments seems to be higher than that of flexible LJ chains. The solid-fluid equilibrium is obtained by Gibbs-Duhem integration, and by performing NPT simulations at zero pressure. A stabilization of the solid phase, an increase in the triple-point temperature, and a widening of the transition region are observed for linear rigid chains when compared to flexible chains with the same number of segments. The triple-point temperature of linear rigid LJ chains increases dramatically with chain length. The results of this work suggest that the fluid-vapor transition could be metastable with respect to the fluid-solid transition for chains with more than six LJ monomer units.     

Mixing rules for binary Lennard–Jones chains: theory and Monte Carlo simulation

Theoretically-based van der Waals one-fluid (vdW1) mixing rules are derived for Lennard–Jones (LJ) chain mixtures. The rules provide equivalent one-fluid segment parameters for LJ size (σ) and energy () parameter as well as chain length (m) based on the parameters of the individual mixture components and the component mole fractions. The mixing rules are tested by performing Monte Carlo simulations of eight different binary mixtures and the equivalent vdW1 pure fluid, each at three densities. The simulations test the effects of changing LJ size parameter, LJ energy parameter and chain length individually and together. The effects of mole fraction and density are also examined. The mixing rules are tested for accuracy in predicting compressibility factors and radial distribution functions. It is found that the vdW1 rules provide excellent agreement when size and energy parameter are varied. Good agreement is found for mixtures with different chain lengths. The discrepancy is worst at very high densities when all component parameters are varied simultaneously.     

Local structure at the air/liquid interface of room-temperature ionic liquids probed by infrared-visible sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy: 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborates

The air/liquid interface of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborates with the general formula [C(n)mim]BF(4) (n = 4-11) was studied using infrared-visible sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy. The probability of the gauche defect per CH2-CH2 bond in the alkyl chain decreases as the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain increases. This observation suggests that the interaction between the alkyl chains is enhanced as the alkyl chain length becomes longer. The frequencies of the C-H stretching vibrational modes observed in the SFG spectra are higher than those of the corresponding peak positions observed in the infrared spectra of the bulk liquids. This shift is consistent with a structure in which the alkyl chain protrudes from the bulk liquid into the air. A local structure, which originates from the intermolecular interaction between the ionic liquid molecules, is proposed to explain these observations.     

Carbon dioxide capture by aminoalkyl imidazolium-based ionic liquid: a computational investigation

Efficient technologies/processes for CO(2) capture are greatly desired, and ionic liquids are recognized as promising materials for this purpose. However, the mechanisms for selectively capturing CO(2) by ionic liquids are unclear. In this study, the interactions between CO(2) and 1-n-amino-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, an amino imidazolium ionic liquid (AIIL), in its CO(2) capturing process, are elucidated with both quantum chemistry and molecular dynamics approaches on the molecular level. The effects of the straight aminoalkyl chain length in imidazolium-based cations on CO(2) capture are explored, and thereby the factors governing CO(2) capture for this ionic liquid family, e.g., ionic liquid structure, charge distribution, intermolecular interactions, thermodynamic properties and absorption kinetics, are analyzed. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the diffusion of the involved compounds and liquid structures of the CO(2)-AIIL systems. The results show that the amino-alkyl chain length plays an important role in governing the absorption properties of AIILs, including the free energies of absorption, equilibrium constants, desorption temperature, absorption rate constants, diffusion coefficients, and organization of CO(2) around cations and anions. This study provides useful information about rational design of ionic liquids for efficient CO(2) capture.     

Mono- and Dinuclear d(10) Metal Complexes of Hexakis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)cyclotriphosphazene. Synthesis, Structures, and Unusual Solution Dynamic Behavior

Synthesis, structures, and unusual solution dynamic processes of d(10) metal complexes of hexakis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)cyclotriphosphazene (L) are reported. Reaction systems with three MX(n):L mole ratios (MX(n) = d(10) metal halide) in CH(2)Cl(2) have resulted in the formation of [ICu(&mgr;,eta(3),eta(3)-L)CuI] (1), [Cl(2)Zn(&mgr;,eta(2),eta(3)-L)ZnCl(2)] (2), [Cl(2)Cd(&mgr;,eta(3),eta(3)-L)CdCl(2)] (3), and [(eta(3)-L)HgCl(2)] (4). These compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies, and crystallographic data are given in the order of compound: crystal system; space group; unit cell parameters; Z; unique data (I > 2sigma(I)); R(1). 1.0.5CH(2)Cl(2): monoclinic; P2(1)/c; a = 8.268(4) ?; b = 22.365(5) ?; c = 23.325(8) ?, beta = 93.06(1) degrees; 4; 5736; 4.82. 2.CH(3)CN: monoclinic; P2(1)/c; a = 17.021(3) ?; b = 12.161(2) ?; c = 23.608(5) ?; beta = 107.72(1) degrees; 4; 5469; 3.16. 3.CH(2)Cl(2): monoclinic; P2(1)/n; a = 18.585(5) ?; b = 17.585(4) ?; c = 14.404(3) ?; beta = 102.71(2) degrees; 4; 3814; 3.65. The structure of 4 was attempted but resulted in data of low precision. Reaction of L with CuI and ZnCl(2) in an equimolar ratio afforded [ICu(&mgr;,eta(3),eta(3)-L)ZnCl(2)] (5) which crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 22.876(5) ?, b = 21.594(4) ?, c = 9.177(2) ?, beta = 93.54(2) degrees, Z = 4, and R(1) = 7.00 for 3806 (I > 2sigma(I)) data. In all cases, metal halide centers except the Td zinc site in 2 are coordinated by L via a kappa(3)N binding core consisting of two nongeminal pyrazolyl nitrogen atoms and one phosphazene ring nitrogen atom. The eta(2)-N(2) coordination in 2 involves two geminal pyrazolyl nitrogen atoms. Factors which govern the nuclearity of the complex were partially demonstrated. The intermetallic distances in dinuclear metallophosphazenes range from 6.790 to 7.195 ?. The solution behavior of five compounds was studied by variable temperature (31)P{(1)H}, (1)H, and (113)Cd FT NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 1 and 4 are associated with fluxional motions involving A(2)B low-temperature limit spectrum while compounds 2 and 5 show solvent-dependent dynamic processes with ABX and A(2)B low-temperature limit spectral patterns. Compounds 3 constitutes a fluxional system involving three A(2)B species. Accounts of solution NMR spectra were attempted by using PANIC, by assuming the formation of new solution metallophosphazene species and by considering several types of dynamic processes such as a ring-around type hopping motion for the kappa(3)N metal site, a Td conformational change for the geminal pyrazolyl kappa(2)N metal site, and a wigwag motion for the nongeminal pyrazolyl kappa(2)N metal unit.     

Sterically and polarity-controlled reactions of tBuLi with P=CH-NR heterocycles: novel heterocyclic P- and P,O-ligands and preliminary tests in transition-metal catalysis

(1R)-1,3-Benzazaphospholes 1 a-c, P=CH-NR heterocycles of the indole type, react with tBuLi in two ways, depending on the steric demand of the N-substituent and the polarity of the medium. The presence of small N-alkyl groups induces CH-deprotonation in the 2-position to give hetaryllithium reagents 2 a and 2 b, whereas bulky N-substituents and nonpolar solvents change the reactivity towards addition at the P=C bond. The preferred regioselectivity is tert-butylation at phosphorus, occurring with excellent diastereoselectivity for trans-adducts 3 b and 3 c, but the inverse tert-butylation at C2 to 5 b was also observed. N-Neopentyl groups, with intermediate steric demand, give rise to formation of mixtures in ethers but allow switching either to selective CH lithiation in THF/KOtBu or to addition in pentane. Bulkier N-adamantyl groups always cause preferred addition. Protonation, silylation, and carboxylation were used to convert the P=CLi-NR, (E)-tBuP-CHLi-NR, and LiP-CH(tBu)-NR species into the corresponding sigma(2)-P or sigma(3)-P compounds 4 b and 6 a,b, 7 b,c, or 8 b-10 b with additional N and/or O donor sites. Slow diffusion-controlled air oxidation of 10 b led to the meso-diphosphine 11 b. Preferred eta(1)-P coordination was shown for an [Rh(cod)Cl] complex 12 b, and the potential of the new ligands 4 b and 7 b in catalysis was demonstrated by examples of Pd-catalyzed C-N coupling and Ni-catalyzed ethylene oligomerization (TON>6300). Crystal structures of 6 b, 11 b, and 12 b are presented.