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

4,4'-Dimethoxybenzhydryl substituent augments performance of bis(imino)pyridine cobalt-based catalysts in ethylene polymerization

A series of cobalt complexes with bis(imino)pyridine derivatives featuring unsymmetrical substitution with bulky groups has been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of two representatives have been determined by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction study, revealing distorted tetrahedral geometry with different degrees of steric hindrance imparted by the two inequivalent aryl groups attached to the imine nitrogen atoms. On activation with either MAO or MMAO, these complexes display high activity toward ethylene polymerization, reaching 8.71 × 10⁶ g of PE (mol of Co)⁻¹ h⁻¹ at 60 °C and produce polyethylene of high molecular weight (M_w = 5.27 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹) and low dispersity. The presence of the methoxy-substituent noticeably enhances the activity of the cobalt catalyst and increases the molecular weight of the resultant polyethylene.

Employing ligands with 4,4′-dimethoxybenzhydryl groups, the cobalt precatalysts display high activities toward ethylene polymerization and produce highly linear polyethylenes, the high density polyethylene (HDPE).

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.

Achieving polydispersive HDPE by N,N,N-Co precatalysts appended with N-2,4-bis(di(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl)-6-methylphenyl

A family of unsymmetrical 2-(2,4-bis(di(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl)-6-MeC₆H₂N)-6-(1-(arylimino)ethyl)pyridine-cobalt dichloride complexes has been synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction for Co2 and Co4. Activated with either MAO or MMAO, all the cobalt precatalysts displayed high activities toward ethylene polymerization and produced highly linear polyethylenes with high molecular weights as well as wide polydispersities; for example, the performance using Co1/MAO at 50 °C reached 9.17 × 10⁶ g PE (mol of Co)⁻¹ h⁻¹ with the production polyethylene of molecular weight as high as M_w = 3.14 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹, T_m = 134.3 °C besides its wide polydispersity of M_w/M_n of 54.6. Besides the terminal vinyl group of the resultant polyethylenes, it is rare for a late-transition metal catalyst to achieve highly linear polyethylenes with not only wide polydispersity but also high molecular weights, being similar to high-density polyethylenes produced using Phillips catalyst.

Introducing a practical application of N,N,N-Co precatalysts for highly linear polyethylenes with wide polydispersity and high molecular weights, targeting HDPE using Phillips catalyst.

Adjusting Ortho-Cycloalkyl Ring Size in a Cycloheptyl-Fused N,N,N-Iron Catalyst as Means to Control Catalytic Activity and Polyethylene Properties

Five examples of bis(arylimino)tetrahydrocyclohepta[b]pyridine dichloroiron(II) complex, [2-{(Ar)N=CMe}-9-{N(Ar)}C10H10N]FeCl2 (Ar = 2-(C5H9)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Fe1, 2-(C6H11)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Fe2, 2-(C8H15)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Fe3, 2-(C12H23)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Fe4, and 2,6-(C5H9)2-4-(CHPh2)C6H2Fe5), incorporating ortho-pairings based on either benzhydryl/cycloalkyl (ring sizes ranging from 5 to 12) or cyclopentyl/cyclopentyl groups, have been prepared in reasonable yield by employing a simple one-pot template strategy. Each complex was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and for Fe3 and Fe5 by single crystal X-ray diffraction; pseudo-square pyramidal geometries are a feature of their coordination spheres. On treatment of Fe1–Fe5 with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO) or methylaluminoxane (MAO), a range in catalytic activities for ethylene polymerization were observed with benzhydryl/cyclopentyl-containing Fe1/MMAO achieving the maximum level of 15.3 × 106 g PE mol−1 (Fe) h−1 at an operating temperature of 70 °C. As a key trend, the activity was found to drop as the ortho-cycloalkyl ring size increased: Fe1C5H9/CHPh2~Fe5C5H9/C5H9 > Fe2C6H11/CHPh2 > Fe3C8H15/CHPh2 > Fe4C12H23/CHPh2. Furthermore, strictly linear polyethylenes (Tm > 126 °C) were formed with molecular weights again dependent on the ortho-cycloalkyl ring size (up to 55.6 kg mol−1 for Fe1/MAO); narrow dispersities were a characteristic of all the polymers (Mw/Mn range: 2.3–4.7), highlighting the well-controlled nature of these polymerizations.

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.

High molecular weight polyethylenes of narrow dispersity promoted using bis(arylimino)cyclohepta[b]pyridine-cobalt catalysts ortho-substituted with benzhydryl & cycloalkyl groups

A one-pot template strategy has been utilized to synthesize sterically enhanced bis(imino)cyclohepta[b]pyridine-cobalt(ii) chlorides, [2-{(Ar)N[double bond, length as m-dash]CMe}-9-{N(Ar)}C10H10N]CoCl2 (Ar = 2-(C5H9)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Co1, 2-(C6H11)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Co2, 2-(C8H15)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Co3, 2-(C12H23)-4,6-(CHPh2)2C6H2Co4, 2,6-(C5H9)2-4-(CHPh2)C6H2Co5). All five complexes have been characterized by a combination of FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The molecular structures of Co1, Co3 and Co5 highlight the substantial steric hindrance imparted by the 2-cycloalkyl-6-benzhydryl or 2,6-dicyclopentyl ortho-substitution pattern; distorted square pyramidal geometries are exhibited in each case. On activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), all the complexes (apart from Co4/MAO) were active ethylene polymerization catalysts (up to 3.70 × 106 g PE per mol (Co) per h for Co5/MMAO), operating effectively at temperatures between 50 °C and 60 °C, producing polyethylenes with high molecular weights (up to 589.5 kg mol-1 for Co3/MAO). Furthermore, all polymers were highly linear (Tm > 130 °C) with narrow dispersities (Mw/Mn range: 2.0-3.0). The coexistence of two chain termination pathways, β-H elimination and transfer to aluminum, has been demonstrated using 13C/1H NMR spectroscopy.

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.

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.

Activity and Thermal Stability of Cobalt(II)-Based Olefin Polymerization Catalysts Adorned with Sterically Hindered Dibenzocycloheptyl Groups

Five examples of unsymmetrical 2-(2,4-bis(dibenzocycloheptyl)-6-methylphenyl- imino)ethyl)-6-(1-(arylyimino)ethyl)pyridine derivatives (aryl = 2,6-Me₂C₆H₃ in L1; 2,6-Et₂C₆H₃ in L2; 2,6-i-Pr₂C₆H₃ in L3; 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂ in L4 and 2,6-Et₂-4-MeC₆H₂ in L5) were prepared and characterized. Treatment with CoCl₂ offered the corresponding cobalt precatalysts Co1–Co5, which were characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis. The molecular structures of Co3 and Co4 determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed distorted square pyramidal geometries with τ₅ values of 0.052–0.215. Activated with either MAO or MMAO, the precatalysts displayed high activities in ethylene polymerization, where Co1 with the least bulky substituents exhibited a peak activity of 1.00 × 10⁷ g PE mol⁻¹ (Co) h⁻¹ at 60 °C. With MAO as a cocatalyst, the activity was reduced only by one order of magnitude at 90 °C, which implies thermally stable active sites. The polymerization product was highly linear polyethylene with vinyl end groups. Co3 with the most sterically hindered active sites was capable of generating polyethylene of high molecular weight, reaching 6.46 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹. Furthermore, high melting point and unimodal molecular weight distribution were observed in the resulting polyethylene. It must be stressed that the thermal stability of the catalyst and the molecular weight of the obtained polyethylene attain the highest values reported for the unsymmetrical 2,6-bis(imino)pyridylcobalt (II) chloride precatalysts.

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.