Late-Transition-Metal Complexes with Bisazaferrocene Ligands for Ethylene Oligomerization

Ortho-Functionalized Dibenzhydryl Substituents in α-Diimine Pd Catalyzed Ethylene Polymerization and Copolymerization

Sterically bulky diarylmethyl-based ligands have received increasing attention in the field of late-transition-metal catalyzed olefin polymerization. Ortho-substituents may have a significant impact on the performance of diarylmethyl-based α-diimine Pd catalysts. In this contribution, a series of α-diimine Pd catalysts bearing ortho-methoxyl/hydroxyl functionalized dibenzhydryl units were prepared, characterized, and investigated in ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with methyl acrylate (MA). The catalytic performances were improved by introducing more ortho-substituents. The catalysts exhibited good thermal stabilities at high temperatures, producing branched polyethylenes. The catalysts bearing hydroxyl groups possessing intramolecular H-bonding, resulted in slightly higher incorporation ratios of MA unit when compared with the catalysts bearing methoxyl groups.

Palladium-Catalyzed Insertion of Ethylene and 1,1-Disubstituted Difunctional Olefins: An Experimental and Computational Study

Insertion or coordination copolymerization of ethylene with di-substituted olefins is challenging and the choice of di-substituted mono-functional olefin versus di-substituted di-functional olefin (DDO) appears to be decisive. Here we show that DDO-inserted species are amenable to ethylene insertion and polymerization. DDOs such as 2-acetamidoacrylic acid (AAA), methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate (MAAA), and ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate (ECA) were treated with palladium complex [{P∧O}PdMe(L)] (P∧O=κ² -P,O-Ar₂ PC₆ H₄ SO₂ O with Ar=2-MeOC₆ H₄ ; L=C₂ H₆ OS) and the existence of respective insertion intermediates in moderate yield (up to 37 %) was established. These intermediates were exposed to ethylene and corresponding ethylene-inserted products were isolated and characterized. A careful comparison with three model compounds confirmed ethylene insertion and polymerization. Thus, the combined experimental and computational investigations show that DDO-inserted species can undergo ethylene insertion and polymerization.

Pd-Iminocarboxylate Complexes and Their Behavior in Ethylene Polymerization

Designing co-catalyst-free late transition metal complexes for ethylene polymerization is a challenging task at the interface of organometallic and polymer chemistry. Herein, a set of new, co-catalyst-free, single-component catalytic systems for ethylene polymerization have been unraveled. Treatment of anthranilic acid with various aldehydes produced four iminocarboxylate ligands (L1-L4) in very good to excellent yield (75-92 %). The existence of 2-((2-methoxybenzylidene)amino) benzoic acid (L1) has been unambiguously demonstrated using NMR spectroscopy, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A neutral Pd-iminocarboxylate complex [{N O}PdMe(L1)] (N O=κ² -N,O-ArCHNC₆ H₄ CO₂ with Ar=2-MeOC₆ H₄ ) C1 was prepared by treating stoichiometric amount of L1.Na with palladium precursor. The identity of C1 was confirmed by 1-2D NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Along the same lines, palladium complexes C2-C4 were prepared from ligands L2-L4 respectively. In-situ high-pressure NMR investigations revealed that these Pd complexes are amenable to ethylene insertion and undergo facile β-H elimination to produce propylene. These palladium complexes were then evaluated in ethylene polymerization reaction and various reaction parameters were screened. When C1-C4 were exposed to ethylene pressures of 10-50 bar, formation of low-molecular-weight polyethylene was observed.

Neutral Imino-Methyl Benzenesulfonate-Ligated Pd(II) Complexes and Implications in Ethylene Polymerization

A reaction between sodium 2-formylbenzenesulfonate and aniline revealed the near-quantitative (91%) formation of sodium-2-((phenylimino)methyl)benzenesulfonate L1. The identity of L1 was unambiguously ascertained using spectroscopic and analytical methods. The scope of this methodology was widened and various electron-donating amines were treated with sodium 2-formylbenzenesulfonate, and a small library of 6 imine ligands L2-L6 was generated. When L2 was treated with [(COD)PdMeCl], instead of the anticipated [L2PdMe(DMSO)] complex, the formation of [(DMSO)2Pd2Cl2Me2] Pd-Dim was observed. Nevertheless, the desired imino-methyl benzenesulfonate-ligated palladium complex [L2PdMe(Lu)] C1 was obtained by in situ abstraction of chloride and addition of bulky 2,6-lutidine as the donor group. The observation of characteristic Pd-Me protons at 0.06 ppm and the corresponding carbon at -8.1 ppm indicated the formation of C1. These 1D NMR observations were corroborated by 2D C-H correlation spectra and mass analysis, and the existence of C1 was unambiguously ascertained. Along the same lines, L4 and L5 were treated with a palladium precursor to produce [L4/5PdMe(Lu)]-type complexes C2-C3 in 55-84% yield, and their identity was established by using a combination of spectroscopic tools, analytical methods, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The synthetic utility of C1-C3 has been demonstrated by utilizing these complexes in the insertion polymerization of ethylene to polyethylene.

Comparing the reactivity of isomeric phosphinoferrocene nitrile and isocyanide in Pd(ii) complexes: synthesis of simple coordination compounds vs. preparation of P-chelated insertion products and Fischer-type carbenes

Isomeric phosphinoferrocene ligands, viz. 1'-(diphenylphosphino)-1-cyanoferrocene (1) and 1'-(diphenylphosphino)-1-isocyanoferrocene (2), show markedly different coordination behaviours. For instance, the reactions of 1 with [PdCl2(MeCN)2] and [(LNC)Pd(μ-Cl)]2 (LNC = [2-(dimethylamino-κN)methyl]phenyl-κC1) produced the "phosphine" complexes [PdCl2(1-κP)2] (7) and [(LNC)PdCl(1-κP)] (8), and the latter was converted into the coordination polymer [(LNC)Pd(μ(P,N)-1)][SbF6] (9). Conversely, the reaction of 2 with [(LNC)Pd(μ-Cl)]2 involved coordination of the phosphine moiety and simultaneous insertion of the isocyanide group into the Pd-C bond, giving rise to the P,η1-imidoyl complex [PdCl(Ph2PfcN[double bond, length as m-dash]CC6H4CH2NMe2-κ3C,N,P)] (10; fc = ferrocene-1,1'-diyl). Compound 10 was further transformed into the Fischer carbene [PdCl(Ph2PfcN(Me)CC6H4CH2NMe2-κ3P,C,N)][BF4] (11) by methylation with [Me3O][BF4]. The reactions of 2 with Pd-Me and Pd(η3-allyl) precursors also led to imidoyl complexes [Pd(μ-Cl)(Ph2PfcN[double bond, length as m-dash]CR-κ2C,P)]2 (R = Me: 12, R = allyl: 15), which were cleaved with PPh3 into the corresponding monopalladium complexes [PdCl(PPh3)(Ph2PfcN[double bond, length as m-dash]CR-κ2C,P)] (R = Me: 13, R = allyl: 16). The treatment of 12 and 15 with thallium(i) acetylacetonate (acac) produced [Pd(acac-O,O')(Ph2PfcN[double bond, length as m-dash]CR-κ2C,P)] (R = Me: 17, R = allyl: 18). Through proton transfer, these complexes reacted with Ph2PCH2CO2H, ultimately producing bis-chelate complexes [Pd(Ph2PCH2CO2-κ2O,P)(Ph2PfcN[double bond, length as m-dash]CR)] (R = Me: 19, R = prop-1-enyl (sic!): 20). In addition, compound 13 was converted into the P-chelated carbene [PdCl(PPh3)(Ph2PfcN(Me)CMe-κ2C,P)][BF4] (14). Compounds 10, 11, 13 and 14 were studied by cyclic voltammetry and by DFT computations.

Synthesis and Structural Analysis of Palladium(II) Complexes Containing Neutral or Anionic C 2-Symmetric Bis(oxazoline) Ligands: Effects of Substituents in the 5-Position

A series of neutral and cationic palladium(II) complexes containing C ₂-symmetric bis(oxazoline) (BOX) ligands, (BOX)PdCl₂ (2a-d), (BOX)Pd(Me)Cl (3a-d), and [(BOX)PdMe(2,6-Me₂C₅H₃N)]⁺PF₆ ^- (4a-d) [BOX: 2,2'-(2-propylidene)bis{(4R)-4-phenyl-5,5-dimethyl-2-oxazoline}, 2,2'-methylenebis{(4R)-4-phenyl-5,5-dimethyl-2-oxazoline}, 2,2'-methylenebis{(4R)-4,5,5-triphenyl-2-oxazoline}, and 2,2'-methylenebis{(4R,5S)-4,5-diphenyl-2-oxazoline}], were prepared, and their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. It was found that substituents at the 5-position (Ph, Me) in addition to substituents on the bridgehead carbon directly affect the structure around palladium, especially the BOX bite angle and the dihedral angles between the phenyl rings at the 4-position and the N₂Pd plane. Treatment of the bridged methylene proton in the BOX ligand (1b-d) with KH afforded the anionic BOX ligand; also, the neutral Pd complexes, (BOX)PdMe(2,6-Me₂C₅H₃N) (5b-d), could thus be prepared by reaction with Pd(Me)Cl(cod) (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene); 5b-d showed strong coordination to Pd, as demonstrated by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Methylpalladium complexes with pyrimidine-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands

A series of methylpalladium(II) complexes with pyrimidine-NHC ligands carrying different aryl- and alkyl substituents R ([((pym)^(NHC-R))Pd^II(CH₃)X] with X = Cl, CF₃COO, CH₃) has been prepared by transmetalation reactions from the corresponding silver complexes and chloro(methyl)(cyclooctadiene)palladium(II). The dimethyl(1-(2-pyrimidyl)-3-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene)palladium(II) complex was synthesized via the free carbene route. All complexes were fully characterized by standard methods and in three cases also by a solid state structure.

Diastereoselective synthesis and coordination chemistry of enantiopure keto-bis-(2-phosphametallocene)s

Enantiopure 2-(chlorocarbonyl)phosphametallocenes [MCp*(2-{COCl}-3,4-Me(2)-5-Ph-PC(4))] (M = Fe, Ru) react with phospholide anions to give 2-phosphametallocene-2'-acylphospholides K[MCp*(2-CO-2'-{3',4'-Me(2)-5'-PhPC(4)}-3,4-Me(2)-5-Ph-PC(4))] (M = Fe, Ru) and these have been converted into keto-bis-(2-phosphametallocene)s through reaction with [FeClCp*(tmeda)]; templation of this process with CuBr gives rise to the C(2)- (or pseudo-C(2)- when M = Ru) symmetric form of [{MCp*(3,4-Me(2)-5-Ph-PC(4))}(2)-2,2'-(CO)] (M = Fe, Ru; Fe, Fe) with high (>95%) diastereoselectivity. X-Ray structures of these ligands coordinated to [RuCp*Cl] and [PtCl(2)] centres show that the spatial orientation of the very flexible keto-bis-(2-phosphametallocene) structure is highly responsive to the coordination sphere of the chelated platinum or ruthenium centre.

Dichloridobis[(ferrocenylmethylidene)(furan-2-ylmethyl)amine-κN]palladium(II)

The title compound, [Fe₂Pd(C₅H₅)₂(C₁₁H₁₀NO)₂Cl₂], exhibits a square-planar geometry at the Pd^II atom, which is determined by inversion-related chlorine and ferrocenyl­imine mol­ecules across a center of symmetry. The ferrocenyl­imine moieties are trans to each other.