Exploring fluoride effects in sterically enhanced cobalt ethylene polymerisation catalysts; a combined experimental and DFT study

The fluoro-substituted 2,6-bis(arylimino)pyridine dichlorocobalt complexes, [2-{CMeN(2,6-(Ph₂CH)₂-3,4-F₂C₆H)}-6-(CMeNAr)C₅H₃N]CoCl₂ (Ar = 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃ Co1, 2,6-Et₂C₆H₃Co2, 2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃Co3, 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂Co4, 2,6-Et-4-MeC₆H₂Co5), were synthesized in good yield from the corresponding unsymmetrical N,N,N'-ligands, L1-L5. Besides characterization of Co1-Co5 by FT-IR spectroscopy, ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, the molecular structures of Co2 and Co5 were also determined highlighting the unsymmetrical nature of the terdentate ligand and the pseudo-square pyramidal geometry about the metal center. When either MAO or MMAO were employed as activators, Co1-Co5 were able to achieve a wide range of catalytic activities for ethylene polymerisation. Co5/MAO exhibited the highest activity of the study at 60 °C (7.6 × 10⁶ g PE mol^-1 (Co) h^-1) which decreased to 3.3 × 10⁶ g PE mol^-1 (Co) h^-1 at 80 °C. In addition, it was found that the polymerisation activity increased as the steric hindrance imparted by the ortho groups was enhanced (for MMAO: Co3 > Co5 > Co2 > Co1 > Co4), a finding that was supported by DFT calculations. Furthermore, it was shown that particularly high molecular weight polyethylene could be generated (up to 483.8 kg mol^-1) when using Co5/MMAO at 30 °C, while narrow dispersities (M _w/M _n range: 1.8-4.7) and high linearity (T _m > 131.4 °C) were a feature of all polymers produced. By comparison of Co3 with its non-fluorinated analogue using experimental data and DFT calculations, the substitution of fluorides at the meta- and para-positions was demonstrated to boost catalytic activity and improve thermal stability.

Catalytic Performance of Cobalt(II) Polyethylene Catalysts with Sterically Hindered Dibenzopyranyl Substituents Studied by Experimental and MLR Methods

Given the great importance of cobalt catalysts supported by benchmark bis(imino)pyridine in the (oligo)polymerization, a series of dibenzopyran-incorporated symmetrical 2,6-bis(imino) pyridyl cobalt complexes (Co1–Co5) are designed and prepared using a one-pot template approach. The structures of the resulting complexes are well characterized by a number of techniques. After activation with either methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified MAO (MMAO), the complexes Co1–Co4 are highly active for ethylene polymerization with a maximum activity of up to 7.36 × 10⁶ g (PE) mol⁻¹ (Co) h⁻¹ and produced highly linear polyethylene with narrow molecular weight distributions, while Co5 is completely inactive under the standard conditions. Particularly, complex Co3 affords polyethylene with high molecular weights of 85.02 and 79.85 kg mol⁻¹ in the presence of MAO and MMAO, respectively. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy revealed the existence of vinyl end groups in the resulting polyethylene, highlighting the predominant involvement of the β-H elimination reaction in the chain-termination process. To investigate the mechanism underlying the variation of catalytic activities as a function of substituents, multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis was performed, showing the key role of open cone angle (θ) and effective net charge (Q) on catalytic activity.

Efficient transfer hydrogenation of ketones by molybdenum complexes through comprehensively verifying auxiliary ligands

Molybdenum complexes, ligated with N1,N1-dialkyl-N2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolin-8-yl)ethane-1,2-diamines along with auxiliary ligands, provide various structural features as [NNH/NNHN]Mo(CO)4/3 (Mo1 – Mo3), [NNHN]Mo(CO)2Br] (Mo4 – Mo5), [NNH]Mo(CO)(η3-C3H5)Br](Mo6) and [NNHN/S] Mo(CO)(PPh3)2] (Mo7 – Mo8). All...

Fluorinated 2,6-Bis(arylimino)pyridyliron Complexes Targeting Bimodal Dispersive Polyethylene; probing chain termination pathway via a combined experimental and DFT study

The fluorinated 2,6-bis(arylimino)pyridyl iron (II) complexes, [2-[CMeN{2,4-{(4-FC6H4)2CH}2-6-F}]-6-(CMeNAr)C5H3N]FeCl2 (Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3 Fe1, 2,6-Et2C6H3 Fe2, 2,6-iPr2C6H3 Fe3, 2,4,6-Me3C6H2 Fe4, and 2,6-Et2-4-MeC6H2 Fe5) and [2-[CMeN{2-{(4-FC6H4)2CH}-4-{(C6H5)CHAr’}-6-F}]-6-(CMeN(2,6-iPr2C6H3))C5H3N] FeCl2 (Ar’ = 3-(4-FC6H4)2CH}2-4-NH2-5-FC6H2 Fe6), being verified with...

Investigations on the Ethylene Polymerization with Bisarylimine Pyridine Iron (BIP) Catalysts

The kinetics and terminations of ethylene polymerization, mediated by five bisarylimine pyridine (BIP) iron dichloride precatalysts, and activated by large amounts of methyl aluminoxane (MAO) was studied. Narrow distributed paraffins from initially formed aluminum polymeryls and broader distributed 1-polyolefins and (bimodal) mixtures, thereof, were obtained after acidic workup. The main pathway of olefin formation is beta-hydrogen transfer to ethylene. The rate of polymerization in the initial phase is inversely proportional to the co-catalyst concentration for all pre-catalysts; a first-order dependence was found on ethylene and catalyst concentrations. The inhibition by aluminum alkyls is released to some extent in a second phase, which arises after the original methyl groups are transformed into n-alkyl entities and the aluminum polymeryls partly precipitate in the toluene medium. The catalysis is interpretable in a mechanism, wherein, the relative rate of chain shuttling, beta-hydrogen transfer and insertion of ethylene are determining the outcome. Beta-hydrogen transfer enables catalyst mobility, which leads to a (degenerate) chain growth of already precipitated aluminum alkyls. Stronger Lewis acidic centers of the single site catalysts, and those with smaller ligands, are more prone to yield 1-olefins and to undergo a faster reversible alkyl exchange between aluminum and iron.

Enhancing Ethylene Polymerization of NNN-Cobalt(II) Precatalysts Adorned with a Fluoro-substituent

Unsymmetrical 2-(1-(2,4-dibenzhydryl-6-fluorophenylimino)ethyl)-6-(1-alkylphenyl-imino)ethyl)pyridine compounds (Ar = 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃ in L1; 2,6-Et₂C₆H₃ in L2; 2,6- ⁱ Pr₂C₆H₃ in L3; 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂ in L4; 2,6-Et₂-4-Me-C₆H₂ in L5) were prepared and characterized. The treatment of CoCl₂ with the compounds L1-L5 afforded the corresponding cobalt complexes Co1-Co5 in excellent yields. The molecular structures of Co3 and Co4 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, revealing the distorted-square-pyramidal geometry with three nitrogen atoms and two chlorine atoms around the cobalt center. Compared with previous bis(imino)pyridylcobalt analogues, all of the cobalt precatalysts displayed exceptionally higher activities toward ethylene polymerization with 1.32 × 10⁷ g (PE) mol^-1 (Co) h^-1 at 60 °C in the presence of a co-catalyst MAO or MMAO. These cobalt catalysts produced highly linear polyethylene (PE) waxes with vinyl end groups and low molecular weight (M _w up to 8.23 kg mol^-1) along with a relatively lower melting point (all-round T _ms < 128 °C). The narrow dispersity of resultant polyethylenes indicated the single-site active species of the catalytic system.

Doubly fused N,N,N-iron ethylene polymerization catalysts appended with fluoride substituents; probing catalytic performance via a combined experimental and MLR study

In agreement with the MLR analysis, the fluorinated iron precatalyst, R¹ = F, R² = R³ = CH(p-FPh)₂, proved the most active at 70 °C generating strictly linear polyethylene waxes.

6-Arylimino-2-(2-(1-phenylethyl)naphthalen-1-yl)-iminopyridylmetal (Fe and Co) Complexes as Highly Active Precatalysts for Ethylene Polymerization: Influence of Metal and/or Substituents on the Active, Thermostable Performance of Their Complexes and Resultant Polyethylenes

A series of 6-arylimino-2-(2-(1-phenylethyl)naphthalen-1-yl)iminopyridines and their iron(II) and cobalt(II) complexes (Fe1–Fe5, Co1–Co5) were synthesized and routinely characterized as were Co3 and Co5 complexes, studied by single crystal X-ray crystallography, which individually displayed a distorted square pyramidal or trigonal bipyramid around a cobalt center. Upon treatment with either methyluminoxane (MAO) or modified methyluminoxane (MMAO), all complexes displayed high activities regarding ethylene polymerization even at an elevated temperature, enhancing the thermostability of the active species. In general, iron precatalysts showed higher activities than their cobalt analogs; for example, 10.9 × 10⁶ g(PE) mol⁻¹ (Co) h⁻¹ by Co4 and 17.0 × 10⁶ g(PE) mol⁻¹ (Fe) h⁻¹ by Fe4. Bulkier substituents are favored for increasing the molecular weights of the resultant polyethylenes, such as 25.6 kg mol⁻¹ obtained by Co3 and 297 kg mol⁻¹ obtained by Fe3. A narrow polydispersity of polyethylenes was observed by iron precatalysts activated by MMAO, indicating a single-site active species formed.

Bis-cycloheptyl-fused bis(imino)pyridine-cobalt catalysts for PE wax formation: positive effects of fluoride substitution on catalytic performance and thermal stability

The α,α'-bis(imino)-2,3:5,6-bis(pentamethylene)pyridyl-cobalt(ii) chlorides, [2,3:5,6-{C4H8C(N(2-R1-4-R3-6-R2C6H2))}2C5HN] CoCl2 (R1 = Me, R2 = R3 = CH(p-FPh)2Co1; R1 = Et, R2 = R3 = CH(p-FPh)2Co2; R1 = i-Pr, R2 = R3 = CH(p-FPh)2Co3; R1 = Cl, R2 = R3 = CH(p-FPh)2Co4; R1 = F, R2 = R3 = CH(p-FPh)2Co5; R1 = F, R2 = R3 = CHPh2Co5'', R1 = R2 = Me, R3 = CH(p-FPh)2Co6; R1 = R3 = Me, R2 = CH(p-FPh)2Co7), have been synthesized by a one-pot template reaction of α,α'-dioxo-2,3:5,6-bis(pentamethylene)pyridine, cobalt(ii) chloride and the respective aniline in n-butanol. By contrast, the mixed cobalt(ii) chloride/acetate complex, [2,3:5,6-{C4H8C(N(2-F-4,6-(CH(p-FPh)2)2C6H2))}2C5HN]CoCl(OAc) (Co5'), was isolated when the corresponding template reaction was carried out in acetic acid. Structural characterization of Co4, Co5 and Co5'' revealed distorted square pyramidal geometries while six-coordinate Co5', incorporating a chelating acetate ligand, exhibited a distorted octahedral geometry. On activation with either MAO or MMAO, 2-fluoride-4,6-bis{di(p-fluorophenyl)methyl}-substituted Co5 showed maximum catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization at a high operating temperature of 60 °C (up to 2.1 × 107 g (PE) mol-1 (Co) h-1), producing highly linear (Tms > 121 °C), low molecular weight polyethylene waxes (Mw range: 1.5-5.0 kg mol-1) with narrow dispersity (Mw/Mn range: 1.7-2.9). End-group analysis of the waxes reveals β-H elimination as the dominant chain transfer process.

Fusing Carbocycles of Inequivalent Ring Size to a Bis(imino)pyridine-Iron Ethylene Polymerization Catalyst: Distinctive Effects on Activity, PE Molecular Weight, and Dispersity

The 4,6-bis(arylimino)-1,2,3,7,8,9,10-heptahydrocyclohepta[b]quinoline-iron(II) chlorides (aryl = 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃Fe1; 2,6-Et₂C₆H₃Fe2; 2,6-i-Pr₂C₆H₃Fe3; 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂Fe4; and 2,6-Et₂-4-Me₂C₆H₂Fe5) have been prepared in good yield by a straightforward one-pot reaction of 2,3,7,8,9,10-hexahydro-1H-cyclohepta[b]quinoline-4,6-dione, FeCl₂·4H₂O, and the appropriate aniline in acetic acid. All ferrous complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. In addition, the structure of Fe3 has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, which showed the iron center to adopt a distorted square pyramidal geometry with the saturated sections of the fused six- and seven-membered carbocycles to be cis-configured. In combination with either MAO or MMAO, Fe1–Fe5 exhibited exceptionally high activities for ethylene polymerization (up to 15.86 × 10⁶ g(PE) mol⁻¹ (Fe) h⁻¹ at 40°C (MMAO) and 9.60 × 10⁶ g(PE) mol⁻¹ (Fe) h⁻¹ at 60°C (MAO)) and produced highly linear polyethylene (HLPE, T_m ≥ 128°C) with a wide range in molecular weights; in general, the MMAO-promoted polymerizations were more active. Irrespective of the cocatalyst employed, the 2,6-Me₂-substituted Fe1 and Fe4 proved the most active while the more sterically hindered 2,6-i-Pr₂Fe3 the least but afforded the highest molecular weight polyethylene (M_w: 65.6–72.6 kg mol⁻¹). Multinuclear NMR spectroscopic analysis of the polymer formed using Fe4/MMAO at 40°C showed a preference for fully saturated chain ends with a broad bimodal distribution a feature of the GPC trace (M_w/M_n = 13.4). By contrast, using Fe4/MAO at 60°C a vinyl-terminated polymer of lower molecular weight (M_w = 14.2 kg mol⁻¹) was identified that exhibited a unimodal distribution (M_w/M_n = 3.8). Moreover, the amount of aluminoxane cocatalyst employed, temperature, and run time were also found to be influential on the modality of the polymer.

4,4'-Difluorobenzhydryl-modified bis(imino)-pyridyliron(ii) chlorides as thermally stable precatalysts for strictly linear polyethylenes with narrow dispersities

The 4,4'-difluorobenzhydryl-modified bis(imino)pyridylferrous chlorides, [2-{CMeN(2,6-(4-FC6H4)2CH2-4-t-BuC6H2)}-6-(CMeNAr)C5H3N] FeCl2 (Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3Fe1, 2,6-Et2C6H3Fe2, 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3Fe3, 2,4,6-Me3C6H2Fe4, 2,6-Et-4-MeC6H2Fe5 and 2,6-(4-FC6H4)2CH2-4-t-BuC6H2Fe6), were synthesized in good yields. All iron complexes were characterized by 1H/19F NMR and elemental analysis, and the molecular structures of representative complexes Fe1 and Fe6 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, which revealed a slightly distorted square pyramid around the iron center. Activated with either MAO or MMAO, Fe1-Fe5 exhibited very high activities (up to 17.2 × 106 g (PE) mol-1 (Fe) h-1 for Fe1/MMAO) toward ethylene polymerization, producing highly linear polyethylenes with narrow dispersities as required by industry and value added PEs. Importantly, the Fe1/MAO maintained an activity of 9.5 × 106 g (PE) mol-1 (Fe) h-1 at 100 °C of operating temperature, making the catalytic system suitable for practical application. Simulation quantitatively revealed the mechanism of the enhanced catalytic performance from the electronic and steric point of view.

Synthesis of characteristic polyisoprenes using rationally designed iminopyridyl metal (Fe and Co) precatalysts: investigation of co-catalysts and steric influence on their catalytic activity

A series of iminopyridyl ligand-based iron and cobalt complexes are utilized as catalysts in isoprene polymerization, in which the microstructure of resultant polyisoprenes was investigated.

Probing the effect of ortho-cycloalkyl ring size on activity and thermostability in cycloheptyl-fused N,N,N-iron ethylene polymerization catalysts

The depicted iron(ii) precatalysts displayed exceptionally high activities for ethylene polymerization at temperatures of up 100 °C producing linear polyethylene with a wide range of molecular weights.

Highly Linear Polyethylenes Achieved Using Thermo-Stable and Efficient Cobalt Precatalysts Bearing Carbocyclic-Fused NNN-Pincer Ligand

Six examples of 2-(1-arylimino)ethyl-9-arylimino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrocycloheptapyridine-cobalt(II) chloride complexes, [2-(1-ArN)C₂H₃-9-ArN-5,6,7,8-C₅H₈C₅H₃N]CoCl₂, (Ar = 2-(C₅H₉)-6-MeC₆H₃Co1, 2-(C₆H₁₁)-6-MeC₆H₃Co2, 2-(C₈H₁₅)-6-MeC₆H₃Co3, 2-(C₅H₉)-4,6-Me₂C₆H₂Co4, 2-(C₆H₁₁)-4,6-Me₂C₆H₂Co5, and 2-(C₈H₁₅)-4,6-Me₂C₆H₂Co6), were synthesized by the direct reaction of the corresponding ortho-cycloalkyl substituted carbocyclic-fused bis(arylimino)pyridines (L1–L6) and cobalt(II) chloride in ethanol with good yields. All the synthesized ligands (L1–L6) and their corresponding cobalt complexes (Co1–Co6) were fully characterized by FT-IR, ¹H/¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The crystal structure of Co2 and Co3 revealed that the ring puckering of both the ortho-cyclohexyl/cyclooctyl substituents and the one pyridine-fused seven-membered ring; a square-based pyramidal geometry is conferred around the metal center. On treatment with either methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), all the six complexes showed high activities (up to 4.09 × 10⁶ g of PE mol⁻¹ (Co) h⁻¹) toward ethylene polymerization at temperatures between 20 °C and 70 °C with the catalytic activities correlating with the type of ortho-cycloalkyl substituent: Cyclopentyl (Co1 and Co4) > cyclohexyl (Co2 and Co5) > cyclooctyl (Co3 and Co6) for either R = H or Me and afforded strictly linear polyethylene (T_m > 130 °C). The narrow unimodal distributions of the resulting polymers are consistent with single-site active species for the precatalyst. Furthermore, compared to the previously reported cobalt analogues, the titled precatalysts exhibited good thermo-stability (up to 70 °C) and possessed longer lifetime along with a higher molecular weight of PE (M_w: 9.2~25.3 kg mol⁻¹).

Highly linear polyethylenes tailored with 2,6-bis[1-(p-dibenzo-cycloheptylarylimino)ethyl]pyridylcobalt dichlorides

Bis(imino)pyridylcobalt dichlorides displayed high activities for ethylene polymerization, producing highly linear PEs with the vinyl end group as the major one.

gem-Dimethyl-substituted bis(imino)dihydroquinolines as thermally stable supports for highly active cobalt catalysts that produce linear PE waxes

Linear polyethylene waxes with vinyl content can be generated using the depicted N,N,N′-Co catalyst at an industrially relevant operating temperature of 70 °C.

Steric and electronic modulation of iron catalysts as a route to remarkably high molecular weight linear polyethylenes

The depicted N,N,N-iron(ii) chloride precatalysts, upon activation with either MAO or MMAO, not only display excellent thermal stability but are also capable of generating exceptionally high molecular weight linear polyethylenes.