Highly Efficient Monocationic Palladacycles of Chelating Diphosphines in C2H4/CO Copolymerization

Ferrocenylmethylphosphanes and the Alpha Process for Methoxycarbonylation: The Original Story

The Lucite Alpha process is the predominant technology for the preparation of acrylics. This two-stage process involves the palladium-catalysed formation of methyl propanoate from ethene, CO, and methanol, followed by the oxidative formylation of methyl propanoate into methyl methacrylate. A range of bis-1,2-disubstituted aminomethylferrocenes has been prepared and characterised. These complexes serve as precursors to a variety of bulky ferrocenylmethyldiphosphanes that, in turn, function as ligands in the palladium-catalysed process. We describe the crystal structures of five ligand precursors and provide a rationale for their design. In situ catalyst testing on palladium complexes derived from ferrocenylphosphanes demonstrates that these are highly selective (>99.5%) catalysts for the formation of methyl propanoate from ethene, CO, and methanol and have turnover numbers exceeding 50,000. This article credits those researchers who worked on this project in the early days, who received little or no credit for their achievements and endeavours.

Effect of chalcogens on CO insertion into the palladium-methyl bond of [(N^N^X)Pd(CH3)](+) (X = O, S, Se) and on CO/ethylene copolymerisation

Neutral chloromethylpalladium(II) complexes, [Pd(Cl)(CH3)(L)] (1a-5a) with ligands κ(2)-N^S-2-((3,5-di-tert-butyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl)-6-(phenylthiomethyl)pyridine (L1), κ(2)-N^S-2-((3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl)-6-(phenylthiomethyl)pyridine (L2), κ(2)-N^Se-2-((3,5-di-tert-butyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl)-6-(phenylselanylmethyl)pyridine (L3), κ(2)-N^Se-2-((3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl)-6-(phenylselanylmethyl)pyridine (L4), and κ(2)-N^N-2-((3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl)-6-(phenoxymethyl)pyridine (L5) have been synthesised and characterised by various spectroscopic techniques. Ligands L1-L4 exhibit Npy^S/Se bidentate coordination whereas L5 shows an Npy^Npz bidentate coordination mode in their corresponding neutral palladium complexes. Abstraction of chloride in neutral palladium complexes with NaBAr4 (BAr4 = tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]borate) resulted in the formation of the cationic palladium complexes 1b-5b, in which L1-L4 adopt a tridentate Npz^Npy^X (X = S or Se) coordination mode in their respective cationic palladium complexes (1b-4b) whilst L5 in complex 5b adopts a Npy^Npz bidentate coordination mode and the palladium centre is stabilized by the weakly coordinating acetonitrile. Compounds 1b-5b readily undergo CO insertion into the Pd-CH3 bond to form Pd-acyl that determines their ability to catalyse CO/ethylene copolymerisation to polyketones.

Synthesis, structures, and norbornene polymerization behavior of C(sp³), N-chelated palladacycles bearing o-aryloxide-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands

Treatment of the o-hydroxyaryl imidazolium pro-ligands (2-OH-3,5-tBu2C6H2)(R)(C3H3N2)(+)Br(-) [R = Mes (1a), Ph (1b), iPr (1c), Me (1d)] with Ag2O afforded the corresponding silver complexes 2a-d. Subsequent metal-exchange reactions of 2a-d with [Pd(OAc)(8-Me-quin-H)]2 (3) yielded the desired C(sp(3)), N-chelated and o-aryloxide-NHC-ligated palladacycle complexes 4a-d in 60-80% yields. When the N-tert-butyl substituted o-hydroxyaryl imidazolium pro-ligand 1e reacted with 3 in the presence of K2CO3 in dioxane, the palladacycle complex 4e, in which the NHC adopted an abnormal binding (C4-bonding), was obtained in 20% yield. All these complexes were fully characterized using (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and elemental analysis. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis results further confirmed the molecular structures of 4a-c and the abnormal binding of NHC in 4e. With methylaluminoxane (MAO) as the cocatalyst these palladacycles showed excellent catalytic activities of up to 10(7) g of PNB (mol of Pd)(-1) h(-1) in the addition polymerization of norbornene.

Carbonylation of ethene catalysed by Pd(II)-phosphine complexes

This review deals with olefin carbonylation catalysed by Pd(II)-phosphine complexes in protic solvents. In particular, the results obtained in the carbonylation with ethene are reviewed. After a short description of the basic concepts relevant to this catalysis, the review treats in greater details the influence of the bite angle, skeletal rigidity, electronic and steric bulk properties of the ligand on the formation of the products, which range from high molecular weight perfectly alternating polyketones to methyl propanoate. It is shown that the steric bulk plays a major role in directing the selectivity. Particular emphasis is given to the factors governing the very active and selective catalysis to methyl propanoate, including the mechanism of the catalytic cycles with diphosphine- and monophosphine-catalysts. A brief note on the synthesis of methyl propanoate using a “Lucite” type catalyst in ionic liquids is also illustrated. A chapter is dedicated to the carbonylation of olefins in aqueous reaction media. The nonalternating CO-ethene copolymerization is also treated.

Palladium-catalyzed heck coupling reaction of aryl bromides in aqueous media using tetrahydropyrimidinium salts as carbene ligands

An efficient and stereoselective catalytic system for the Heck cross coupling reaction using novel 1,3-dialkyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidinium salts (1, LHX) and Pd(OAc)₂ loading has been reported. The palladium complexes derived from the salts 1a-f prepared in situ exhibit good catalytic activity in the Heck coupling reaction of aryl bromides under mild conditions.

Activation of late transition metal catalysts for olefin polymerizations and olefin/CO copolymerizations

The late transition metal catalysts for homo- and copolymerizations of olefins expand the polymer properties and the usable monomer feedstock of early transition metal catalysts. A critical step for a polymerization is the activation of catalyst precursors and the generation of the actual active site. This perspective discusses possible activation protocols for two well-known catalyst systems, the a-diimine Ni or Pd olefin polymerization catalysts and the Pd catalysts for alkene/CO copolymerization. The general concept of catalyst activation is outlined and similarities as well as differences between single-component catalysts and in situ activated systems are highlighted.

Phosphinito- and phosphonito-oxazoline Pd(ii) complexes as CO/ethylene insertion intermediates: synthesis and structural characterization

The phosphinito-oxazoline ligand 4,4-dimethyl-2-[methoxy(diphenylphosphine)]-4,5-dihydrooxazole (2a) and the phosphonite-oxazoline ligand 4,4-dimethyl-2-[methoxy(6H-dibenz[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphorin)]-4,5-dihydrooxazole (8a) were prepared by deprotonation of (4,5-dihydro-4,4-dimethyloxazol-2-yl)methanol (1a) and reaction with the corresponding P-Cl function, similar to the ligands 2b (4,4-dimethyl-2-[1-oxy(diphenylphosphine)-1-methylethyl]-4,5-dihydrooxazole) and 8b (4,4-dimethyl-2-[1-oxy(6H-dibenz[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphorin)-1-methylethyl]-4,5-dihydrooxazole) reported previously. These ligands react with [PdClX(COD)] to give complexes of the type [PdClX(P,N)] (3a P,N = 2a, X = Cl; 4a P,N = 2a, X = Me; 4b P,N = 2b , X = Me; 9a P,N = 8a, X = Cl; 9b P,N = 8b, X = Cl; 10a P,N = 8a, X = Me; 10b P,N = 8b, X = Me). Complexes 4a,b and 10a,b reacted with AgCF(3)SO(3) to yield [PdMe(P,N)OSO(2)CF(3)] 5a,b and 11a,b, respectively. From the stepwise insertion reaction of CO and ethylene into the Pd-C bond of 5a and 11a,b, the alkyl ketone chelate complexes [Pd{CH(2)CH(2)C(O)Me}(P,N)]CF(3)SO(3) 7a and 14a,b respectively, have been isolated and spectroscopically characterized. Complexes 3a.CH(2)Cl(2), 5a, 9b, 10a,b, [PdMe(H(2)O)(P,N)]CF(3)SO(3) 12b, (P,N = 8b) and 14a,b have also been characterized by X-ray crystallography and the structures of 14a,b represent still rare examples of structurally characterized CO/ethylene coupling products.