Synthesis and ROMP activity of aminophenol-substituted tungsten(VI) and molybdenum(VI) complexes

Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Exploration of Mononuclear Mo(VI) Dioxido Complexes of (Z)-1-R-2-(4',4'-Dimethyl-2'-oxazolin-2'-yl)-eth-1-en-1-ates

The coordination chemistry of the title ligands with Mo metal centers was investigated. Thus, the synthesis and characterization (NMR, X-ray diffraction) of four mononuclear formally Mo(6+) complexes of (Z)-1-R-2-(4',4'-dimethyl-2'-oxazolin-2'-yl)-eth-1-en-1-ates (L: R = -Ph, -Ph-p-NO2, -Ph-p-OMe and -t-Bu), derived from the part enols (LH), is described. The resulting air-stable MoO2L2 complexes (1-4) exist, as shown by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments, in the cis-dioxido-trans(N)-κ2-N,O-L conformation in the solid state for all four examples. This situation was further probed using semi-empirical PM6(tm) calculations. Complexes 1-4 represent the first Mo complexes of this ligand class and, indeed, of Group 6 metals in general. Structural and spectroscopic comparisons were made between these and related Mo(6+) compounds. Complex 1 (R = -Ph) was studied for its ability to selectively catalyze the production of poly-norbornene from the monomer in the presence of MAO. This, unfortunately, only resulted in the synthesis of insoluble, presumably highly cross-linked, polymeric and/or oligomeric materials. However, complexes 1-4 were demonstrated to be highly effective for catalyzing benzoin to benzil conversion using DMSO as the O-transfer agent. This catalysis work is likewise put into perspective with respect to analogous Mo(6+) complexes.

Combinatorial screening of an in situ generated library of tungsten oxyhalide and imido complexes for olefin metathesis

A series of substituted tungsten(VI) halides with general formula WECl4 (E = O or -NR (imido)) were screened via a high throughput study to identify potential new olefin metathesis catalysts. The tungsten species were treated with a series of aluminum alkyl activators and modifier ligands to generate active catalyst species in situ. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclooctene was used as a primary screen to identify potential metathesis catalysts and active catalysts were subjected to a secondary screen to evaluate tolerance toward polar functional groups. Several combinations from the high throughput campaign yielded active metathesis catalysts for the ROMP of cyclooctene. However, none of the catalysts examined in this study exhibited any evidence of significant polar functional group tolerance as determined by the results of the secondary cyclooctene/butyl acetate screen.