Chromium complexes supported by phenanthrene-imine derivative ligands: synthesis, characterization and catalysis on isoprene cis-1,4 polymerization

Reactions of CrCl(2)(THF)(2) with N-aryl-9,10-iminophenanthraquinone in CH(2)Cl(2) give the monoimine chromium complexes (Ar)IPQCrCl(2)(THF)(2) (1, Ar = 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3); 2, Ar = 2,6-Et(2)C(6)H(3); 3, Ar = 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3)). Molecular structures of 1 and 3 were revealed to be monomeric with the chromium atoms in distorted octahedral geometries. Similar reactions of CrCl(2)(THF)(2) with N,N-bis(arylimino)phenanthrene ligands afford the diimine complexes (Ar1,Ar2)BIPCrCl(μ-Cl)(3)Cr(THF)(Ar1,Ar2)BIP (4, Ar(1) = Ar(2) = 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3); 5, Ar(1) = Ar(2) = 2,6-Et(2)C(6)H(3); 6, Ar(1) = Ar(2) = 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3); 7, Ar(1) = 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3), Ar(2) = 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3)). The X-ray diffraction analysis shows that 4, 5, and 7 are chlorine-bridged dimers with each chromium atom in a distorted octahedral geometry. Upon activation with MAO, all these complexes exhibit good catalytic activities for isoprene polymerization affording polyisoprene with predominantly a cis-1,4 unit.