Preparation of Thiophene-Fused and Tetrahydroquinoline-Linked Cyclopentadienyl Titanium Complexes for Ethylene/α-Olefin Copolymerization

One-Pot Multienzyme Cascades for Stereodivergent Synthesis of Tetrahydroquinolines

The tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) framework is commonly found in natural products and pharmaceutically relevant molecules. Apart from using transition metal catalysts and chiral phosphoric acids, the chiral 2-substituted 1,2,3,4-THQs are synthesized using amine oxidase biocatalysts. However, the use of imine reductases (IREDs) in their asymmetric synthesis remained unexplored. In the current work, IREDs are employed in telescopic multienzyme cascades to catalyze the intramolecular reductive amination leading to chiral 2-alkyl and 2-aryl substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines starting from inexpensive nitroalkenones. The cascades containing NtDBR (an ene reductase), NfsB (a nitro reductase) with either Na2S2O4 or V2O5, various IREDs, and glucose dehydrogenase (for NADPH regeneration) are used to synthesize a broad range of (R)/(S)-2-alkyl-substituted (THQs) (26 examples) with high yield (up to 93 %) and excellent ee (up to 99 %) in one-pot. The method further facilitates the one-pot biocatalytic synthesis of chiral 2-aryl substituted THQs (26 examples) from amino chalcones. Lastly, the asymmetric synthesis of several (R)- and (S)-THQ based intermediates of Hancock alkaloids showed the practical application of the newly developed biocatalytic cascades.

Syntheses of Silylene-Bridged Thiophene-Fused Cyclopentadienyl ansa-Metallocene Complexes for Preparing High-Performance Supported Catalyst

We synthesized a series of Me2Si-bridged ansa-zirconocene complexes coordinated by thiophene-fused cyclopentadienyl and fluorenyl ligands (Me2Si(2-R1-3-R2-4,5-Me2C7S)(2,7-R32C13H6))ZrMe2 (R1 = Me or H, R2 = H or Me, R3 = H, tBu, or Cl) for the subsequent preparation of supported catalysts. We determined that the fluorenyl ligand adopts an η3-binding mode in 9 (R1 = Me, R2 = H, R3 = H) by X-ray crystallography. Further, we synthesized a derivative 15 by substituting the fluorenyl ligand in 9 with a 2-methyl-4-(4-tert-butylphenyl)indenyl ligand, derivatives 20 and 23 by substituting the Me2Si bridge in 12 (R1 = Me, R2 = H, R3 = tBu) and 15 with a tBuO(CH2)6(Me)Si bridge, and the dinuclear congener 26 by connecting two complexes with a –(Me)Si(CH2)6Si(Me)– spacer. The silica-supported catalysts prepared using 12, 20, and 26 demonstrated up to two times higher productivity in ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization than that prepared with conventional (THI)ZrCl2 (21–26 vs. 12 kg-PE/g-(supported catalyst)), producing polymers with comparable molecular weight (Mw, 330–370 vs. 300 kDa), at a higher 1-hexene content (1.3 vs. 1.0 mol%) but a lower bulk density of polymer particles (0.35 vs. 0.42 g/mL).

The structural diversity of heterocycle-fused potassium cyclopentadienides

Cyclopentadienides of d- and f-elements are highly important complexes with undoubted potential for practical applications. Annelation of a heterocyclic fragment with an η5-ring results in substantial improvement of the catalytic properties of these compounds, called "heterocenes"; the investigation of metal coordination with these specific ligands is a highly important problem. We prepared potassium derivatives 5-8 of heterocycle-annelated cyclopentadienes with different structures - derivatives of cyclopenta[1,2-b:4,3-b']dithiophene (1), indeno[2,1-b]indole (2), indeno[1,2-b]indole (3), and indeno[1,2-b]indolizine (4) and studied the crystal and molecular structures of these salts by X-ray diffraction. We found that heterocycle-fused cyclopentadienides demonstrate remarkable diversity in metal-ligand coordination modes and crystal packing, with formation of two-dimensional polymeric (5), linear polymeric (6), tetrameric (7) and monomeric (8) structures. The NMR spectral data and results of DFT modeling indicate an increase in electron density in the cyclopentadienyl fragment, and this effect was found to be larger in the derivative of the new indolizine ligand precursor 4. The results of our study will be used in the design of next-generation catalysts of α-olefin polymerization.

Preparation of Half- and Post-Metallocene Hafnium Complexes with Tetrahydroquinoline and Tetrahydrophenanthroline Frameworks for Olefin Polymerization

Hafnium complexes have drawn attention for their application as post-metallocene catalysts with unique performance in olefin polymerization. In this work, a series of half-metallocene HfMe₂ complexes, bearing a tetrahydroquinoline framework, as well as a series of [N^amido,N,C^aryl]HfMe₂-type post-metallocene complexes, bearing a tetrahydrophenanthroline framework, were prepared; the structures of the prepared Hf complexes were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallography. When the prepared complexes were reacted with anhydrous [(C₁₈H₃₇)₂N(H)Me]⁺[B(C₆F₅)₄]⁻, desired ion-pair complexes, in which (C₁₈H₃₇)₂NMe coordinated to the Hf center, were cleanly afforded. The activated complexes generated from the half-metallocene complexes were inactive for the copolymerization of ethylene/propylene, while those generated from post-metallocene complexes were active. Complex bearing bulky isopropyl substituents (12) exhibited the highest activity. However, the activity was approximately half that of the prototype pyridylamido-Hf Dow catalyst. The comonomer incorporation capability was also inferior to that of the pyridylamido-Hf Dow catalyst. However, 12 performed well in the coordinative chain transfer polymerization performed in the presence of (octyl)₂Zn, converting all the fed (octyl)₂Zn to (polyolefinyl)₂Zn with controlled lengths of the polyolefinyl chain.

Preparation of Pincer Hafnium Complexes for Olefin Polymerization

Pincer-type [Cnaphthyl, Npyridine, Namido]HfMe2 complex is a flagship among the post-metallocene catalysts. In this work, various pincer-type Hf-complexes were prepared for olefin polymerization. Pincer-type [Namido, Npyridine, Namido]HfMe2 complexes were prepared by reacting in situ generated HfMe4 with the corresponding ligand precursors, and the structure of a complex bearing 2,6-Et2C6H3Namido moieties was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. When the ligand precursors of [(CH3)R2Si-C5H3N-C(H)PhN(H)Ar (R = Me or Ph, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) were treated with in situ generated HfMe4, pincer-type [Csilylmethyl, Npyridine, Namido]HfMe2 complexes were afforded by formation of Hf-CH2Si bond. Pincer-type [Cnaphthyl, Sthiophene, Namido]HfMe2 complex, where the pyridine moiety in the flagship catalyst was replaced with a thiophene unit, was not generated when the corresponding ligand precursor was treated with HfMe4. Instead, the [Sthiophene, Namido]HfMe3-type complex was obtained with no formation of the Hf-Cnaphthyl bond. A series of pincer-type [Cnaphthyl, Npyridine, Nalkylamido]HfMe2 complexes was prepared where the arylamido moiety in the flagship catalyst was replaced with alkylamido moieties (alkyl = iPr, cyclohexyl, tBu, adamantyl). Structures of the complexes bearing isopropylamido and adamantylamido moieties were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Most of the complexes cleanly generated the desired ion-pair complexes when treated with an equivalent amount of [(C18H37)2N(H)Me]+[B(C6F5)4]-, which showed negligible activity in olefin polymerization. Some complexes bearing bulky substituents showed moderate activities, even though the desired ion-pair complexes were not cleanly afforded.

Straightforward Design for Phenoxy-Imine Catalytic Activity in Ethylene Polymerization: Theoretical Prediction

The quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) of 18 Ti-phenoxy-imine (FI-Ti)-based catalysts was investigated to clarify the role of the structural properties of the catalysts in polyethylene polymerization activity. The electronic properties of the FI-Ti catalysts were analyzed based on density functional theory with the M06L/6-31G** and LANL2DZ basis functions. The analysis results of the QSAR equation with a genetic algorithm showed that the polyethylene catalytic activity mainly depended on the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level and the total charge of the substituent group on phenylimine ring. The QSAR models showed good predictive ability (R2) and R2 cross validation (R2cv) values of greater than 0.927. The design concept is “head-hat”, where the hats are the phenoxy-imine substituents, and the heads are the transition metals. Thus, for the newly designed series, the phenoxy-imine substituents still remained, while the Ti metal was replaced by Zr or Ni transition metals, entitled FI-Zr and FI-Ni, respectively. Consequently, their polyethylene polymerization activities were predicted based on the obtained QSAR of the FI-Ti models, and it is noteworthy that the FI-Ni metallocene catalysts tend to increase the polyethylene catalytic activity more than that of FI-Zr complexes. Therefore, the new designs of the FI-Ni series are proposed as candidate catalysts for polyethylene polymerization, with their predicted activities in the range of 35,000–48,000 kg(PE)/mol(Cat.)·MPa·h. This combined density functional theory and QSAR analysis is useful and straightforward for molecular design or catalyst screening, especially in industrial research.

Preparation of "Constrained Geometry" Titanium Complexes of [1,2]Azasilinane Framework for Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymerization

The Me₂Si-bridged ansa-Cp/amido half-metallocene, [Me₂Si(η⁵-Me₄C₅)(N^tBu)]TiCl₂, termed a "constrained-geometry catalyst (CGC)", is a representative homogeneous Ziegler catalyst. CGC derivatives with the [1,2]azasilinane framework, in which the amide alkyl substituent is joined by the Si-bridge, were prepared, and the catalytic performances of these species was studied. Me₄C₅HSi(Me)(CH₂CH=CH₂)-NH(C(R)(R')CH=CH₂) (R, R' = H or methyl; Me₄C₅H = tetramethylcyclopentadienyl) was susceptible to ring closure metathesis (RCM) when treated with Schrock's Mo-catalyst to afford -Si(Me₄C₅H)(Me)CH₂CH=CHC(R)(R')NH- containing a six-membered ring framework. Using the precursors and the products of RCM, various CGC derivatives, i.e., [-Si(η⁵-Me₄C₅)(Me)CH₂CH=CHC(R)(H)N-]TiMe₂ (13, R = H; 15, R = Me), [-Si(η⁵-Me₄C₅)(Me)CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂N]TiMe₂ (14), [(η⁵-Me₄C₅)Si(Me)(CH₂CH=CH₂)NCH₂CH=CH₂]TiMe₂ (16), [(η⁵-Me₄C₅)Si (Me)(CH=CH₂)NCH₂CH=CH₂]TiMe₂ (17), and [(η⁵-Me₄C₅)Si(Me)(CH₂CH₃)NCH₂CH₂CH₃]TiMe₂ (18), were prepared. The catalytic activity of the newly prepared complexes was lower than that of CGC when activated with [Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄]/iBu₃Al. However, the catalytic activity of these species was improved by using tetrabutylaluminoxane ([iBu₂Al]₂O) instead of iBu₃Al and the activity of 14/[Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄]/[iBu₂Al]₂O was comparable to that of CGC/[Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄]/iBu₃Al (4.7 and 5.0 × 10⁶ g/mol-Ti, respectively). Advantageously, the newly prepared complexes produced higher molecular weight poly(ethylene-co-1-octene)s than CGC.

Preparation of ansa-metallocenes for production of poly(α-olefin) lubricants

An ansa-zirconocene bearing methyl substituents at all positions adjacent to the bridgehead [(-C(Ph)HC(Ph)H-)(η(5)-2,5-Me2C5H2)2ZrCl2] (4) was prepared in high yields (78%) through the reductive dimerization of 1,4-dimethyl-6-phenylfulvene utilizing ZrCl2·DME generated in situ. The structure of 4 was subsequently confirmed using X-ray crystallography. 4 exhibited excellent catalytic performance with regard to 1-decene oligomerization, which was carried out with the intention of preparing lubricant base stocks. High activities (21 × 10(6) g mol(-1) Zr h(-1) activity; TON = 150 000; TOF = 42 s(-1)) were observed at temperatures as high as 120 °C and the oligomer distribution was appropriate for lubricant application. The simulated distillation (SIMDIS) data confirmed that a wide range of oligomers were formed, ranging from the dimer (2-mer) to 20-mer. A minimal amount of the dimer and oligomers larger than the 10-mer was formed (13 and 25 wt%, respectively). Alternatively, a typical unbridged complex such as (η(5)-nBuC5H4)2ZrCl2 primarily produced dimers (54 wt%), whereas the ansa-zirconocene (EBI)ZrCl2 primarily produced oligomers larger than 10-mer (62 wt%). The methyl substituents at the positions adjacent to the bridgehead in 4 played a significant role in the catalytic performance.