Deposition of Copper Films with Surface-Activating Agents

Low-Symmetry β-Diketimine Aryloxide Rare-Earth Complexes: Flexible, Reactive, and Selective

We report the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of a new low-symmetry β-diketimine featuring a pendant amino(methyl)phenol donor and its corresponding heteroleptic rare-earth (RE) complexes. This includes the first structurally characterized examples of alcoholysis and insertion from an isolated RE^III amide in a β-diketimine framework. The flexible methylene linkage leads to RE^III complexes with tunable dynamic solution behavior that defines their stoichiometric and catalytic reactivity. The addition of a strong neutral donor ligand, tricyclohexylphosphine oxide, suppresses a prevalent catalyst degradation pathway (base-promoted elimination) and dramatically enhances the catalyst performance in the stereospecific ring-opening polymerization of rac-β-butyrolactone. Our results further demonstrate the importance of ligand reorganization in the stoichiometric and catalytic activity of RE^III ions.

Quantum chemical and solution phase evaluation of metallocenes as reducing agents for the prospective atomic layer deposition of copper

We propose and evaluate the use of metallocene compounds as reducing agents for the chemical vapour deposition (and specifically atomic layer deposition, ALD) of the transition metal Cu from metalorganic precursors.