N-phosphanylamidine ligands and their catalytic activity in the hydroformylation of 1-octene and styrene

Immobilization of a rhodium catalyst using a diphosphine-functionalized ionic liquid in RTIL for the efficient and recyclable biphasic hydroformylation of 1-octene

A highly efficient and stable Rh–P catalytic system in the RTIL of [PEmim]BF₄ was developed for the biphasic hydroformylation of 1-octene by using the diphosphine-functionalized ionic liquid (FIL) of 2. While 2-Rh(acac)(CO)₂ was immobilized in [PEmim]BF₄ (solvent), a typical biphasic catalysis was fulfilled with advantages of facile separation and recycling ability – 9 runs without any loss of activity. It was found that not only the acquired π-acceptor character of 2, but also the synergetic role of the piperidyl group in [PEmim]BF₄ as an N-containing donor, cooperatively contributed to the efficient hydroformylation due to the facilitated formation and stability of the Rh-H active species (ν 2045 cm⁻¹). This was supported by the in situ high-pressure FT-IR spectral analysis.

Mechanistic Studies of Ethylene and α-Olefin Co-oligomerization Catalyzed by Chromium-PNP Complexes

To explore the possibility of producing a narrow distribution of mid- to long-chain hydrocarbons from ethylene as a chemical feedstock, co-oligomerization of ethylene and linear α-olefins (LAOs) was investigated, using a previously reported chromium complex, [CrCl(3)(PNP(OMe))] (1, where PNP(OMe) = N,N-bis(bis(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphino)methylamine). Activation of 1 by treatment with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) in the presence of ethylene and 1-hexene afforded mostly C(6) and C(10) alkene products. The identities of the C(10) isomers, assigned by detailed gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses, strongly support a mechanism that involves five- and seven-membered metallacyclic intermediates comprising of ethylene and LAO units. Using 1-heptene as a mechanistic probe, it was established that 1-hexene formation from ethylene is competitive with formation of ethylene/LAO co-trimers, and that co-trimers derived from one ethylene and two LAO molecules are also generated. Complex 1/MMAO is also capable of converting 1-hexene to C(12) dimers and C(18) trimers, albeit with poor efficiency. The mechanistic implications of these studies are discussed and compared to previous reports of olefin co-trimerization.