Transition Metal-Catalyzed and MAO-Assisted Olefin Polymerization; Cyclic Isomers of Sinn’s Dimer Are Excellent Ligands in Iron Complexes and Great Methylating Reagents

Methylaluminoxane (MAO) is the most commonly used co-catalyst for transition metal-catalyzed olefin polymerization, but the structures of MAO species and their catalytic functions remain topics of intensive study. We are interested in MAO-assisted polymerization with catalysts L(R2)FeCl2 (L = tridentate pyridine-2,6-diyldimethanimine; imine-R = Me, Ph). It is our hypothesis that the MAO species is not merely enabling Fe–Me bond formation but functions as an integral part of the active catalyst, a MAO adduct of the Fe-precatalyst [L(R2)FeCl]+. In this paper, we explored the possible structures of acyclic and cyclic MAO species and their complexation with pre-catalysts [L(R2)FeCl]+ using quantum chemical approaches (MP2 and DFT). We report absolute and relative oxophilicities associated with the Fe ← O(MAO) adduct formation and provide compelling evidence that oxygen of an acyclic MAO species (i.e., O(AlMe2)2, 4) cannot compete with the O-donor in cyclic MAO species (i.e., (MeAlO)2, 7; MeAl(OAlMe2)2, cyclic 5). Significantly, our work demonstrates that intramolecular O → Al dative bonding results in cyclic isomers of MAO species (i.e., cyclic 5) with high oxophilicities. The stabilities of the [L(R2)FeClax(MAO)eq]+ species demonstrate that 5 provides for the ligating benefits of the cyclic MAO species 4 without the thermodynamically costly elimination of TMA. Mechanistic implications are discussed for the involvement of such Fe–O–Al bridged catalyst in olefin polymerization.

Theoretical Study on Ethylene Polymerization Catalyzed by Half-Titanocenes Bearing Different Ancillary Groups

Half-titanocenes are well known to show high activity for ethylene polymerization and good capability for copolymerization of ethylene with other olefins, and the ancillary ligands can crucially affect the catalytic performance. In this paper, the mechanisms of ethylene polymerization catalyzed by three half-metallocenes, (η5-C5Me5)TiCl2(O-2,6-iPr2C6H3) (1), (η5-C5Me5)TiCl2(N=CtBu2) (2) and [Me2Si(η5-C5Me4)(NtBu)]TiCl2 (3), have been investigated by density functional theory (DFT) method. At the initiation stage, a higher free energy barrier was determined for complex 1, probably due to the presence of electronegative O atom in phenoxy ligand. At the propagation stage, front-side insertion of the second ethylene is kinetically more favorable than back-side insertion for complexes 1 and 2, while both side insertion orientations are comparable for complex 3. The energy decomposition showed that the bridged cyclopentadienyl amide ligand could enhance the rigidity of the active species as suggested by the lowest deformation energy derived from 3. At the chain termination stage, β-H transfer was calculated to be a dominant chain termination route over β-H elimination, presumably owing to the thermodynamic perspective.

Connecting Gas-Phase Computational Chemistry to Condensed Phase Kinetic Modeling: The State-of-the-Art

In recent decades, quantum chemical calculations (QCC) have increased in accuracy, not only providing the ranking of chemical reactivities and energy barriers (e.g., for optimal selectivities) but also delivering more reliable equilibrium and (intrinsic/chemical) rate coefficients. This increased reliability of kinetic parameters is relevant to support the predictive character of kinetic modeling studies that are addressing actual concentration changes during chemical processes, taking into account competitive reactions and mixing heterogeneities. In the present contribution, guidelines are formulated on how to bridge the fields of computational chemistry and chemical kinetics. It is explained how condensed phase systems can be described based on conventional gas phase computational chemistry calculations. Case studies are included on polymerization kinetics, considering free and controlled radical polymerization, ionic polymerization, and polymer degradation. It is also illustrated how QCC can be directly linked to material properties.