Group 4 dimethylmetallocenes: improved synthesis and reactivity studies

Strategies for the Synthesis of Chiral Carbon-Bridged Group IV ansa-Metallocenes

This minireview provides a survey of the various synthetic approaches to chiral ansa-metallocenes of Ti, Zr, and Hf containing a carbon-based bridge. The individual strategies to install substitution patterns at either the cyclopentadienyl framework or the bridging unit are highlighted with focus on the progress made towards a direct preparation of single complex stereoisomers. The review further includes the discussion of potential problems such as the formation of undesired diastereomers, the threat of racemization of enantiopure material, and synthetic challenges originating from the synthesis, purification, and isolation of the target complexes. The review has been written with the goal in mind to facilitate the design and synthesis of new chiral ansa-metallocene derivatives for emerging research areas in asymmetric catalysis and organometallic chemistry.

Synthesis, structural characterization, and reactivity of Group 4 metallacarboranes bearing the ligand [H2C(C5Me4)(C2B9H10)]3-

A new organic-inorganic hybrid ligand H(2)C(C(5)Me(4)H)(C(2)B(10)H(11)) (2) has been prepared. A selective deboration reaction with piperidine in ethanol resulted in the isolation of [Me(3)NH][H(2)C(C(5)Me(4)H)(C(2)B(9)H(11))] (3). An amine-elimination reaction of 3 with [Zr(NMe(2))(4)] produced a neutral metal-amide complex [η(5):η(5)-H(2)C(C(5)Me(4))(C(2)B(9)H(10))]Zr(NMe(2))(NHMe(2)) (4). The double-ring-opening reaction of 4 with tetrahydrofuran (THF) afforded [η(5):η(5)-H(2)C(C(5)Me(4))(C(2)B(9)H(10))]Zr (OCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2))(2)N(CH(3))(2) (5). Treatment of the trianionic salt of 3 with [MCl(4)(thf)(2)] gave complexes [{η(5):η(5)-H(2)C(C(5)Me(4))(C(2)B(9)H(10))}M(μ-Cl)(2)][Li(thf)(2)] (M=Zr (6), Hf (7)). Reaction of 6 with LiCH(2)TMS generated the ionic species [{η(5):η(5)-H(2)C(C(5)Me(4))(C(2)B(9)H(10))}Zr(CH(2)TMS)(2)][Li(thf)(3)] (9). Interaction of complex 6 with KCH(2)(NMe(2))-o-C(6)H(4) led to the formation of the neutral metal alkyl complex [η(5):η(5)-H(2)C(C(5)Me(4))(C(2)B(9)H(10))]Zr[σ:σ-CH(2)(NMe(2))-o-C(6)H(4)] (10). All complexes have been fully characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses. Some were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analyses.

Solution Conformation and Dynamics of the Ion Pairs Originating from the Reaction of B(C6F5)3 with Bisindenyl Dimethyl Zirconium Complexes

The two ion pairs [(4,7-Me(2)indenyl)(2)ZrMe](+)[MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)](-) (1 b) and [(indenyl)(2)ZrMe](+) [MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)](-) (2 b) have been generated in situ by reaction of stoichiometric B(C(6)F(5))(3) with the corresponding dimethyl zirconocenes. It has been shown that molecular mechanics computations, guided by experimental (1)H/(1)H NOE correlations, can provide information on the conformers present in solution. The dynamics of the ion pairs has also been investigated, showing the occurrence of both the processes previously characterized for this class of compounds, namely the B(C(6)F(5))(3) migration between the two methyl groups and dissociation-recombination of the whole [MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)](-) anion, the latter process being much faster than the first one (about three order of magnitude). Moreover, it has been shown that in certain conditions intermolecular processes can occur, which mimic the above-mentioned dissociative exchanges. In particular, the presence of species containing loosely bound [MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)](-) anion fastens the exchange of this anion, while the presence of free B(C(6)F(5))(3) accelerates its exchange between the two methyl sites.

ansa-Zirconocene Ester Enolates: Synthesis, Structure, Reaction with Organo-Lewis Acids, and Application to Polymerization of Methacrylates

The synthesis, structural characterization, and abstraction chemistry of ansa-zirconocene ester enolate complexes relevant to the isospecific polymerization of methacrylates are reported. Reactions of rac-(EBI)ZrMe(OTf) and rac-(EBI)Zr(OTf)(2) [EBI = C(2)H(4)(Ind)(2)] with 1 and 2 equiv of lithium isopropylisobutyrate in toluene produce the first examples of ansa-zirconocene mono- and diester enolate complexes: rac-(EBI)ZrMe[OC(O(i)Pr)=CMe(2)] (1) and rac-(EBI)Zr[OC(O(i)Pr)=CMe(2)](2) (2) in 89% and 50% isolated yields, respectively. The reaction of 1 with B(C(6)F(5))(3) was investigated in six different organic solvents; in THF at ambient temperature, this reaction cleanly produces the isolable cationic ansa-zirconocene ester enolate complex rac-(EBI)Zr(+)(THF)[OC(O(i)Pr)=CMe(2)][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)](-) (3) in quantitative yield. The analogous reaction of 1 with Al(C(6)F(5))(3) in toluene, however, proceeds through a proposed novel, intramolecular proton transfer process in which propylene is eliminated from the isopropoxy group, subsequently producing a carboxylate-bridged tight ion pair rac-(EBI)Zr(+)(Me)OC((i)Pr)OAl(C(6)F(5))(3)(-) (4). In addition to standard spectroscopic and analytical characterizations for the isolated complexes 1-4, complexes 2 and 4 have also been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction studies. Polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) has been investigated using complexes 1, 3, and 4. Both the isolated cationic 3 and neutral 1 (the latter combined with B(C(6)F(5))(3) in situ) are highly active (10 min for quantitative MMA conversion) and highly isospecific ([mm] > 95% for PMMA; [mm] > 99% for PBMA) via enantiomorphic-site control, producing polymethacrylates with extremely narrow molecular weight distributions (M(w)/M(n) = 1.03). The aluminate complex 4, however, produces syndiotactic PMMA predominantly via chain-end control.