Internally Phosphine-Stabilized Zirconocene Cations Employing Substituted ((Diarylphosphino)methyl)cyclopentadienyl Ligand Systems

Theoretical Study of the Activation Reaction of a Zr+/P-Based Frustrated Lewis Pair with Carbon Dioxide

The combination reactions of carbon dioxide with a Zr⁺/P-based frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) were computationally explored within the density functional theory framework [B3LYP-D3(BJ)/def2-TZVP]. Results showed that these reactions are exothermic, associated with relatively low activation barriers, and proceed concertedly involving Zr⁺-O and P-C chemical bond formations. Theoretical analysis revealed that the shorter the Zr⁺···P bond length of the Zr⁺/P-based FLP, the shorter the stretching O-C bond length of CO₂ upon reaction, the larger the ∠OCO bending angle of CO₂, the smaller the deformation energy of CO₂, the lower the barrier height, and the greater the reactivity between the Zr⁺/P-based FLP and CO₂. According to the energy decomposition analysis-natural orbitals for chemical valence, the bonding natures of their associated transition states are determined by the singlet-singlet interaction (donor-acceptor interaction), not the triplet-triplet interaction (electron-sharing interaction). Moreover, the bonding characteristics between Zr⁺/P-based FLPs and CO₂ are established predominantly by the lone pair orbital(P) → the empty p-π* orbital (CO₂) interaction, not the empty d-orbital(Zr⁺) ← the filled p-π orbital (CO₂) interaction. With the use of the activation strain model, theoretical examinations showed that the reactivity trend of such combination reactions is mainly attributed to the deformation energies of the deformed reactants. The relationship between deformed geometrical structures and related activation energies is in good agreement with Hammond's postulate.

B(C6F5)3-guided cyclotrimerization-rearrangement of phenylacetylene. Evidence of the (C6F5)3B−–C(H)=C+Ph intermediate in a 1,1-carboboration reaction

In presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinium ([TMPH]+) chlorotris(pentafluorophenyl)borate ([TMPH]+[ClB(C6F5)3]−, 3), phenylacetylene undergoes an unusual cyclotrimerization-rearrangement leading to tris(pentafluorophenyl)(3,4,5-triphenylphenyl)borate anion (1) as a minor product which can be isolated and purified in a form of salts [1·(TMPH) n ·Cl ( n –1)] (n=3 or 5). A variable temperature and concentration NMR spectroscopy study of 3 in CDCl3 unambiguously demonstrated its ability to liberate free B(C6F5)3, which initiates cyclotrimerization and guides rearrangements towards formation of the tetraarylborate anion 1. For the previously studied “spectator” reaction between phenylacetylene and B(C6F5)3 in CDCl3, 1H, 19F, and 11B NMR-spectral evidence of the (C6F5)3B−–C(H)=C+Ph zwitterionic intermediate of the 1,1-carboboration reaction has been demonstrated. The crystal structures of [1·(TMPH) 3 ·Cl 2], the salt 3, and a 1:1 adduct of 1,3,5-tris(4-fluorophenyl)benzene and 2,4,6-tris(pentafluorophenyl)-1,3,5,2,4,6-trioxatriborinane (2) have been established by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Modular functionalized polyphosphines for supported materials: previously unobserved31P-NMR «through-space» ABCD spin systems and heterogeneous palladium-catalysed C–C and C–H arylation

Functionalized modular polyphosphines introduce a conceptual novelty in controlling both implantation and conformation of donors in immobilized catalysts.

Discovery and evaluation of highly active imidotitanium ethylene polymerisation catalysts using high throughput catalyst screening

A family of ca. 50 imidotitanium precatalysts [Ti(NR)(Me(3)[9]aneN(3))Cl(2)](R = alkyl or aryl; Me(3)[9]aneN(3)= 1,4,7-trimethyltriazacyclononane) were prepared in good yields using semi-automated procedures; high-throughput screening techniques identified seven highly active ethylene polymerisation precatalysts with activities in the range ca. 3 400 to 10 000 kg(PE) mol(-1) h(-1) bar(-1).

Synthesis and reactivity of the imidotungsten methyl cation [W(N2Npy)(NPh)Me]+: CO2 adds to the W=NPh bond and does not insert into the W-Me bond

The imidotungsten dimethyl compound [W(N2Npy)(NPh)Me2] 2 reacts with BArF3 to form the cationic complex [W(N2Npy)(NPh)Me]+ 3+ [anion = [MeBArF3]-; ArF = C6F5; N2Npy = MeC(2C5H4N)(CH2NSiMe3)2] which undergoes methyl group exchange with added 2, [Cp2ZrMe2] or ZnMe2; treatment of cation 3+ with CO2 or isocyanates leads to cycloaddition reactions at the W=NPh bond and not insertion into the W-Me bond, despite the latter product being the most thermodynamically favourable according to DFT calculations.

Synthesis, structures, and reactivity of weakly coordinating anions with delocalized borate structure: the assessment of anion effects in metallocene polymerization catalysts

The formation of adducts of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane with strongly coordinating anions such as CN(-) and [M(CN)(4)](2)(-) (M = Ni, Pd) is a synthetically facile route to the bulky, very weakly coordinating anions [CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)](-) and [M[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)](2-) which are isolated as stable NHMe(2)Ph(+) and CPh(3)(+) salts. The crystal structures of [CPh(3)][CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)] (1), [CPh(3)][ClB(C(6)F(5))(3)] (2), [NHMe(2)Ph](2)[Ni[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)].2Me(2)CO (4b.2Me(2)CO), [CPh(3)](2)[Ni[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)].2CH(2)Cl(2) (4c.2CH(2)Cl(2)), and [CPh(3)](2)[Pd[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)].2CH(2)Cl(2) (5c.2CH(2)Cl(2)) are reported. The CN stretching frequencies in 4 and 5 are shifted by approximately 110 cm(-1) to higher wavenumbers compared to the parent tetracyano complexes in aqueous solution, although the M-C and C-N distances show no significant change on B(C(6)F(5))(3) coordination. Zirconocene dimethyl complexes L(2)ZrMe(2) [L(2) = Cp(2), SBI = rac-Me(2)Si(Ind)(2)] react with 1, 4c or 5c in benzene solution at 20 degrees C to give the salts of binuclear methyl-bridged cations, [(L(2)ZrMe)(2)(mu-Me)][CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)] and [(L(2)ZrMe)(2)(mu-Me)](2)[M[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)]. The reactivity of these species in solution was studied in comparison with the known [[(SBI)ZrMe](2)(mu-Me)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)]. While the latter reacts with excess [CPh(3)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] in benzene to give the mononuclear ion pair [(SBI)ZrMe(+).B(C(6)F(5))(4)(-)] in a pseudo-first-order reaction, k = 3 x 10(-4) s(-1), [(L(2)ZrMe)(2)(mu-Me)][CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)] reacts to give a mixture of L(2)ZrMe(mu-Me)B(C(6)F(5))(3) and L(2)ZrMe(mu-NC)B(C(6)F(5))(3). Recrystallization of [Cp' '(2)Zr(mu-Me)(2)AlMe(2)][CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)] affords Cp' '(2)ZrMe(mu-NC)B(C(6)F(5))(3) 6, the X-ray structure of which is reported. The stability of [(L(2)ZrMe)(2)(mu-Me)](+)X(-) decreases in the order X = [B(C(6)F(5))(4)] > [M[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)] > [CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)] and increases strongly with the steric bulk of L(2) = Cp(2) << SBI. Activation of (SBI)ZrMe(2) by 1 in the presence of AlBu(i)(3) gives extremely active ethene polymerization catalysts. Polymerization studies at 1-7 bar monomer pressure suggest that these, and by implication most other highly active ethene polymerization catalysts, are strongly mass-transport limited. By contrast, monitoring propene polymerization activities with the systems (SBI)ZrMe(2)/1/AlBu(i)(3) and CGCTiMe(2)/1/AlBu(i)(3) at 20 degrees C as a function of catalyst concentration demonstrates that in these cases mass-transport limitation is absent up to [metal] approximately 2 x 10(-5) mol L(-1). Propene polymerization activities decrease in the order [CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)](-) > [B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) > [M[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)](2-) >> [MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)](-), with differences in activation barriers relative to [CN[B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)](-) of DeltaDeltaG = 1.1 (B(C(6)F(5))(4)(-)), 4.1 (Ni[CNB(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)(2-)) and 10.7-12.8 kJ mol(-)(1) (MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)(-)). The data suggest that even in the case of very bulky anions with delocalized negative charge the displacement of the anion by the monomer must be involved in the rate-limiting step.