Zirconium and Hafnium Complexes with Cycloheptane- or Cyclononane-Fused [OSSO]-Type Bis(phenolato) Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Highly Active 1-Hexene Polymerization and Ring-Size Effects of Fused Cycloalkanes on the Activity

DFT insight into metals and ligands substitution effects on reactivity of phenoxy-imine catalysts for ethylene polymerization

The reaction mechanism of ethylene (ET) polymerization catalyzed by the phenoxy-imine (FI) ligands using DFT calculations was studied. Among five possible isomers, isomer A which has an octahedral geometry and a (cis-N/trans-O/cis-Cl) arrangement is the most stable pre-reaction Ti-FI dichloride complex. The isomer A can be activated by MAO to form the active catalyst and the active form was used for the study of the mechanism for Ti-FI. The second ethylene insertion was found to be the rate-determining step of the catalyzed ethylene polymerization. To examine the effect of group IVB transition metals (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) substitutions, calculated activation energies at the rate-determining step (EaRDS) were compared, where values of EaRDS of Zr < Hf < Ti agree with experiments. Moreover, we examined the effect of substitution on (O, X) ligands of the Ti-phenoxy-imine (Ti-1) based catalyst. The results revealed that EaRDS of (O, N) > (O, O) > (O, P) > O, S). Hence, the (O, S) ligand has the highest potential to improve the catalytic activity of the Ti-FI catalyst. We also found the activation energy to be related to the Ti-X distance. In addition, a novel Ni-based FI catalyst was investigated. The results indicated that the nickel (II) complex based on the phenoxy-imine (O, N) ligand in the square-planar geometry is more active than in the octahedral geometry. This work provides fundamental insights into the reaction mechanism of M - FI catalysts which can be used for the design and development of M - FI catalysts for ET polymerization.

Niobium Complexes Supported by Chalcogen-Bridged [OEO]-Type Bis(phenolate) Ligands (E = S, Se): Synthesis, Characterization, and Phenylacetylene Polymerization

Trichloro niobium(V) complexes 3 and 4 with the sulfur- or selenium-bridged [OEO]-type bis(phenolate) ligands (E = S, Se) were synthesized and fully characterized on the basis of their NMR spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallographic analysis. In the crystalline state of 4, the [OSeO]-core of the ligand was coordinated to the niobium center in a fac-fashion. The corresponding tribenzyl niobium(V) complexes 5 and 6 were also prepared by the reactions of 3 and 4 with 3 equivalents of PhCH2MgCl in toluene. The X-ray diffraction analysis of 6 revealed that the distorted six-coordinated niobium center incorporated in the [OSeO]-type ligand took a mer-fashion, and one benzyl ligand was coordinated to the niobium center by η2-fashion. Complexes 5 and 6 were tested for the phenylacetylene polymerization that produced poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs), oligomers, and triphenylbenzenes (TPBs) depending on the chalcogen atom in the [OEO]-type ligand.

Design and prediction of high potent ansa-zirconocene catalyst for olefin polymerizations: combined DFT calculations and QSPR approach

Density functional calculations were carried out to predict activities, regio- and stereoselectivity, and to design new ansa-zirconocene catalysts for olefin polymerizations.

Separating Electronic from Steric Effects in Ethene/α-Olefin Copolymerization: A Case Study on Octahedral [ONNO] Zr-Catalysts

Four Cl/Me substituted [ONNO] Zr-catalysts have been tested in ethene/α-olefin polymerization. Replacing electron-donating methyl with isosteric but electron-withdrawing chlorine substituents results in a significant increase of comonomer incorporation. Exploration of steric and electronic properties of the ancillary ligand by DFT confirm that relative reactivity ratios are mainly determined by the electrophilicity of the metal center. Furthermore, quantitative DFT modeling of propagation barriers that determine polymerization kinetics reveals that electronic effects observed in these catalysts affect relative barriers for insertion and a capture-like transition state (TS).

Carbazolyl-Substituted [OSSO]-Type Zirconium(IV) Complex as a Precatalyst for the Oligomerization and Polymerization of α-Olefins

The dibenzyl zirconium(IV) complex (4) incorporating with a carbazolyl(Cbz)-substituted [OSSO]-type bis(phenolate) ligand was synthesized. Upon activation with dried modified methylaluminoxane (dMMAO), precatalyst 4 at relatively low catalyst loadings was found to promote the 1,2-regioselective oligomerization of 1-hexene to produce the corresponding vinylidene-ended oligomers with moderate turnover frequencies (TOFs) up to 2080 h−1. The 13C NMR analysis of the resulting oligomers revealed the formation of dimer-enriched oligo(1-hexene)s in 39–62% distributions. The precatalyst 4 with dried methylaluminoxane (dMAO) also exhibited good performance in the polymerization of styrene yielding isotactic polystyrenes ([mm] > 99%) with quite large molecular weights (Mw < 508,100 g mol−1) and relatively high catalytic activity (up to 2810 g mmol(4)−1 h−1).

Phenylene-Bridged OSSO-Type Titanium Complexes in the Polymerization of Ethylene and Propylene

The dichloro titanium complexes (OSSO tBu)TiCl2 (1) and (OSSOCum)TiCl2 (2) bearing o-phenylene-bridged OSSO-type ligands [OSSO tBu-H = 6,6'-((1,2-phenylenebis(sulfanediyl))bis(methylene))bis(2,4-di-tert-butyphenol) and OSSOCum-H = 6,6'-((1,2-phenylenebis(sulfanediyl))bis(methylene))bis(2,4-bis(2-phenylpropan-2-yl)phenol)] were prepared and characterized. The X-ray structure of 1 revealed that Ti atom has an octahedral coordination geometry with an fac-fac wrapping of the [OSSO] ligand. In solution at 25 °C, 1 mainly retains the C 2 symmetric structure, whereas 2 shows an equilibrium between C 2- and C 1-symmetric stereoisomers. Activation of 2 with (Ph3C)[B(C6F5)4] led to a highly active catalytic system with an activity of 238 kgPE·molcat -1·bar-1·h-1; linear polyethylene with a T m of 122 °C and M w of 107 kDa were obtained under these conditions. Catalyst 1 displayed the moderate activity of 59 kgPE·molcat -1·bar-1·h-1. Gel permeation chromatography analysis revealed the formation of high-molecular-weight polyethylenes with very large distributions of the molecular weights, indicating a low control of the polymerization process, probably becaue of the presence of different active species in solution. Density functional theory investigation provides a rational for the relative high-molecular-weight polymers obtained with these complexes. The precatalyst 2 was also active in propylene polymerization producing atactic oligomers terminated with unsaturated end groups.