Unconstrained geometry complexes: Ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerizations with a tetramethyldisilyl‐bridged Cp‐amido titanium complex

A new disilyl‐bridged complex, [(N‐tert‐butylamido)(3‐indenyl)tetramethyldisilyl]titanium dichloride ( 3 ), was synthesized and activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO) for propylene homopolymerization and ethylene/propylene and ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerizations. A polypropylene with a slight isotactic enrichment was obtained. The number of regioerrors present in the polypropylene was somewhat smaller than that found in most polypropylenes made from monosilyl‐bridged [(N‐tert‐butylamido)(3‐indenyl)dimethylsilyl]titanium dichloride. The regioerrors detected in the copolymers obtained from 3 /MAO were on the order of the amounts observed in polymers made with the monosilyl‐bridged constrained geometry catalysts. Ethylene copolymers of propylene and 1‐hexene had random sequence distributions and showed significant comonomer incorporation. Because of the presence of regioerrors, a modified method for determining the monomer composition and sequence distribution was developed from the direct measurement of the monomer content from the number of methylene and methine carbons per polymer chain, regardless of propylene inversion. An estimate of the error in the copolymerization reactivity ratio determination for regioirregular ethylene/α‐olefin copolymers was obtained by the calculation of the reactivity ratios from monomer dyad sequences, with consideration given to the contribution of major regioirregular sequences. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 3840–3851, 2005     

Dynamic RHEED observations of the MBE growth of GaAs

Detailed measurements have been made of the specular beam intensity in RHEED patterns from static and growing GaAs surfaces. The basic parameters investigated were substrate temperature and electron beam azimuth. The results have provided further understanding of growth dynamics and surface disorder, respectively. There is a significant trend away from two-dimensional growth at the higher temperatures, which also correspond to more Ga-rich surface structures. Conversely, surface disorder is apparently greater during growth at the lower temperatures, where the structure is As-rich. The static As-stable 2×4 surface is, however, the most ordered and the most closely two-dimensional. It has also been shown that ordered, two-dimensional growth can be initiated from excess Ga adatom populations.     

MS-Xα calculations on boron trihalides and comparison with their photoelectron spectra

The multiple-scattering Xα model has been applied to the sequence of boron trihalides BX₃ where X = F.C1. Br, and I. Transition state calculations show good agreement with the experimental ionization potentials measured by photoelectron spectra.     

Molybdenum carbonyl complexes of binucleating pyridine-based ligands

Reaction of [Mo(CO)₄(diene)] with 4,4′-bipyridine (44′B), trans-1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethene (2-bpe) and trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)-ethene (4-bpe) gives polymeric [Mo(CO)₄(44′B)]_n, mononuclear cis-[Mo(CO)₄(2-bpe)₂] and binuclear [Mo(CO)₄(4-bpe)]₂ respectively. Reaction of the same ligands with [Mo(CO)₄(bpy)] (bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine) produces the bridged binuclear complexes [{Mo(CO)₃(bpy)}₂(44′B)] and [{Mo(CO)₃(bpy)}₂(4-bpe)]. Products are characterised by microanalysis and spectroscopy (IR, ¹H NMR, UV/vis). Reduction of [{Mo(CO)₃(bpy)}₂(44′B)] produces an anion in which the unpaired electron is localised on the chelating bpy ligand.