Is FeEt2(2,2‘-dipyridyl)2 a Ziegler Catalyst for Polymerization of the Polar Monomer Acrylonitrile?

Iron(II) complexes of sterically bulky alpha-ketocarboxylates. structural models for alpha-ketoacid-dependent nonheme iron halogenases

Reaction of the sterically hindered alpha-ketocarboxylate 2,6-di(mesityl)benzoylformate (MesBF) with the iron(II) complexes LFeCl 2 [L = N, N, N', N'-tetramethylpropylenediamine (Me 4pda) or 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dmby)] yielded LFe(Cl)(MesBF) ( 1 or 2). X-ray crystal structures of these complexes showed that they closely model the active site structure of the nonheme iron halogenase enzyme SyrB2. A similar synthetic procedure using benzoylformate with L = dmby yielded (dmby)Fe[(O 2CC(O)Ph)] 2 ( 3) instead, demonstrating the need for the sterically hindered alpha-ketocarboxylate to assemble the halogenase model compounds. In order to make reactivity comparisons among the structurally related iron(II) complexes of benzoylformates of varying steric properties, the complexes [LFe(O 2CC(O)Ar)] n ( 4- 6) were prepared, where L' = tris(pyridylmethyl)amine (tpa) and Ar = 2,6-dimesitylphenyl, 2,6-di p-tolylphenyl, or 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, respectively. X-ray structures for the latter two cases ( 5 and 6) revealed dinuclear topologies ( n = 2), but UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectroscopy indicated that all three complexes dissociated in varying degrees to monomers in CH 2Cl 2 solution. Although compounds 1- 6 were oxidized by O 2, oxidative decarboxylation of the alpha-ketocarboxylate ligand(s) only occurred for 3. These results indicate that the steric hindrance useful for structural modeling of the halogenase active site prohibits functional mimicry of the enzyme.

Acrylonitrile Insertion Reactions of Cationic Palladium Alkyl Complexes

The reactions of acrylonitrile (AN) with "L(2)PdMe+" species were investigated; (L(2) = CH(2)(N-Me-imidazol-2-yl)(2) (a, bim), (p-tolyl)(3)CCH(N-Me-imidazol-2-yl)(2) (b, Tbim), CH(2)(5-Me-2-pyridyl)(2) (c, CH(2)py'(2)), 4,4'-Me(2)-2,2'-bipyridine (d), 4,4'-(t)Bu(2)-2,2'-bipyridine (e), (2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3))N=CMeCMe=N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)) (f)). [L(2)PdMe(NMe(2)Ph)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] (2a-c) and [{L(2)PdMe}(2)(mu-Cl)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] (2d-f) react with AN to form N-bound adducts L(2)Pd(Me)(NCCH=CH(2))(+) (3a-f). 3a-e undergo 2,1 insertion to yield L(2)Pd{CH(CN)Et}+, which form aggregates [L(2)Pd{CH(CN)Et}](n)(n)(+) (n = 1-3, 4a-e) in which the Pd units are proposed to be linked by PdCHEtCN- - -Pd bridges. 3f does not insert AN at 23 degrees C. 4a-e were characterized by NMR, ESI-MS, IR and derivatization to L(2)Pd{CH(CN)Et}(PR(3))+ (R = Ph (5a-e), Me (6a-c)). 4a,b react with CO to form L(2)Pd{CH(CN)Et}(CO)+ (7a,b). 7a reacts with CO by slow reversible insertion to yield (bim)Pd{C(=O)CH(CN)Et}(CO)+ (8a). 4a-e do not react with ethylene. (Tbim)PdMe+ coordinates AN more weakly than ethylene, and AN insertion of 3b is slower than ethylene insertion of (Tbim)Pd(Me)(CH(2)=CH(2))(+) (10b). These results show that most important obstacles to insertion polymerization or copolymerization of AN using L(2)PdR+ catalysts are the tendency of L(2)Pd{CH(CN)CH(2)R}+ species to aggregate, which competes with monomer coordination, and the low insertion reactivity of L(2)Pd{CH(CN)CH(2)R}(substrate)+ species.