Chromium complexes bearing disubstituted organophosphate ligands and their use in ethylene polymerization.

The crystal structures of three unusual chromium organophosphate complexes have been determined, namely, bis(µ-butyl 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl hydrogen phosphato-κO:κO')di-µ-hydroxido-bis[(butyl 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl hydrogen phosphato-κO)(butyl 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl phosphato-κO)chromium](Cr-Cr) heptane disolvate or {Cr2(µ2-OH)2[µ2-PO2(OBu)(O-2,6-tBu2-4-MeC6H2)-κO:κO']2[PO2(OBu)(O-2,6-tBu2-4-MeC6H2)-κO]2[HOPO(OBu)(O-2,6-tBu2-4-MeC6H2)-κO]2}·2C7H16, [Cr2(C19H32O4P)4(C19H33O4P)2(OH)2]·2C7H16, denoted (1)·2(heptane), [µ-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato-1κO:2κO']bis[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato]-1κO,2κO-chlorido-2κCl-triethanol-1κ2O,2κO-di-µ-ethanolato-1κ2O:2κ2O-dichromium(Cr-Cr) ethanol monosolvate or {Cr2(µ2-OEt)2[µ2-PO2(O-2,6-iPr2-C6H3)2-κO:κO'][PO2(O-2,6-iPr2-C6H3)2-κO]2Cl(EtOH)3}·EtOH, [Cr2(C2H5O)2(C24H34O4P)3Cl(C2H6O)3]·C2H6O, denoted (2)·EtOH, and di-µ-ethanolato-1κ2O:2κ2O-bis{[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) hydrogen phosphato-κO][bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato-κO]chlorido(ethanol-κO)chromium}(Cr-Cr) benzene disolvate or {Cr2(µ2-OEt)2[PO2(O-2,6-iPr2-C6H3)2-κO]2[HOPO(O-2,6-iPr2-C6H3)2-κO]2Cl2(EtOH)2}·2C6H6, [Cr2(C2H5O)2(C24H34O4P)2(C24H35O4P)2Cl2(C2H6O)2]·2C6H6, denoted (3)·2C6H6. Complexes (1)-(3) have been synthesized by an exchange reaction between the in-situ-generated corresponding lithium or potassium disubstituted phosphates with CrCl3(H2O)6 in ethanol. The subsequent crystallization of (1) from heptane, (2) from ethanol and (3) from an ethanol/benzene mixture allowed us to obtain crystals of (1)·2(heptane), (2)·EtOH and (3)·2C6H6, whose structures have the monoclinic P21, orthorhombic P212121 and triclinic P-1 space groups, respectively. All three complexes have binuclear cores with a single Cr-Cr bond, i.e. Cr2O6P2 in (1), Cr2PO4 in (2) and Cr2O2 in (3), where the Cr atoms are in distorted octahedral environments, formally having 16 e per Cr atom. The complexes have bridging ligands µ2-OH in (1) or µ2-OEt in (2) and (3). The organophosphate ligands demonstrate terminal κO coordination modes in (1)-(3) and bridging µ2-κO:κO' coordination modes in (1) and (2). All the complexes exhibit hydrogen bonding: two intramolecular Ophos...H-Ophos interactions in (1) and (3) form two {H[PO2(OR)2]2} associates; two intramolecular Cl...H-OEt hydrogen bonds additionally stabilize the Cr2O2 core in (3); two intramolecular Ophos...H-OEt interactions and two O...H-O intermolecular hydrogen bonds with a noncoordinating ethanol molecule are observed in (2)·EtOH. The presence of both basic ligands (OH- or OEt-) and acidic [H(phosphate)2]- associates at the same metal centres in (1) and (3) is rather unusual. Complexes may serve as precatalysts for ethylene polymerization under mild conditions, providing polyethylene with a small amount of short-chain branching. The formation of a small amount of α-olefins has been detected in this reaction.

[Bis(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphato-κO]pentakis-(methanol-κO)manganese bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphate methanol tris-olvate.

The title compound, [Mn(C24H34O4P)(CH3OH)5](C24H34O4P)·3CH3OH, was formed in the reaction between a hydrate of a manganese(II) salt [either Mn(NO3)2(H2O)6 or MnCl2(H2O)4] with a methanol solvate of lithium bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphate, {Li[OOP(O-2,6- i Pr2C6H3)2]·(CH4O)3}·CH4O, in methanol. The structure has monoclinic (Cc) symmetry at 150 K. The complex consists of an [Mn{OOP(O-2,6- i Pr2C6H3)2}(CH3OH)5]+ cation, an [OOP(O-2,6- i Pr2C6H3)2]- anion and three non-coordinating methanol mol-ecules. The anion demonstrates disorder of an isopropyl group [occupancy ratio is 0.57 (4):0.43 (4)]. The di-aryl-phosphate ligand in the cation exhibits a κ1 O terminal coordination mode. The Mn atom is in a nearly unperturbed octa-hedral environment. The [Mn{OOP(O-2,6- i Pr2C6H3)2}(CH3OH)5]+ cation exhibits one intra-molecular O-H⋯O bond, and is coordinated via two inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds to the [OOP(O-2,6- i Pr2C6H3)2]- anion. The cations, anions and non-coordinating methanol mol-ecules are linked into infinite chains along the c-axis direction via 0-H⋯O hydrogen bonding. The complex is of inter-est as a possible inhibitor for the thermal decomposition of polydi-methyl-siloxane. The crystal studied was refined as an inversion twin with a domain ratio of 0.47 (3):0.53 (3).

Dinuclear neodymium and lanthanum bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate complexes bearing a hydroxide ligand: catalytic activity of the Nd complex in 1,3-diene polymerization.

The reactions of K[(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO] either with LaCl3(H2O)7 or with Nd(NO3)3(H2O)6 in a 3:1 molar ratio, followed by vacuum drying and recrystallization from alkanes, have led to the formation of diaquapentakis[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato]-µ-hydroxido-dilanthanum hexane disolvate, [La2(C24H34O4P)5(OH)(H2O)2]·2C6H14, (1)·2(hexane), and tetraaquatetrakis[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato]-µ-hydroxido-dineodymium bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate heptane disolvate, [Nd2(C24H34O4P)4(OH)(H2O)4]·2C6H14, (2)·2(heptane). The compounds crystalize in the P21/n and P-1 space groups, respectively. The diaryl-substituted organophosphate ligand exhibits three different coordination modes, viz. κ2O,O'-terminal [in (1) and (2)], κO-terminal [in (1)] and µ2-κ1O:κ1O'-bridging [in (1) and (2)]. Binuclear structures (1) and (2) are similar and have the same unique Ln2(µ-OH)(µ-OPO)2 core. The structure of (2) consists of an [Nd2{(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO}4(OH)(H2O)4]+ cation and a [(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO]- anion, which are bound via four intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds. The molecular structure of (1) displays two O-H...O hydrogen bonds between OH/H2O ligands and a κ1O-terminal organophosphate ligand, which resembles, to some extent, the `free' [(2,6-iPr2C6H3-O)2POO]- anion in (2). NMR studies have shown that the formation of (1) undoubtedly occurs due to intramolecular hydrolysis during vacuum drying of the aqueous La tris(phosphate) complex. Catalytic experiments have demonstrated that the presence of the coordinated hydroxide anion and water molecules in precatalyst (2) substantially lowered the catalytic activity of the system prepared from (2) in butadiene and isoprene polymerization compared to the catalytic system based on the neodymium tris[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate] complex, which contains neither OH nor H2O ligands.

Crystal structure and catalytic activity of tetra-kis-(µ2-ethyl 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenyl phos-phato-κ2O:O')bis-(ethyl 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenyl phosphato-κ2O,O')dilutetium n-heptane disolvate.

The title complex, [Lu2(C17H28O4P)6]·2C7H16, was formed in the reaction between potassium 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenyl ethyl phosphate, [K(2,6- t Bu2-4-MeC6H2-O)(EtO)PO2], and LuCl3(H2O)6 in water, followed by vacuum drying and recrystallization from heptane. Its crystal structure has triclinic (P [Formula: see text]) symmetry at 120 K. The lutetium tris-(phosphate) complex has a binuclear [Lu2(µ-OPO)4] core and the organophosphate ligand exhibits κ2O,O' terminal and µ2-κ1O:κ1O' bridging coordination modes with the LuIII ion being sixfold coordinated. The complex is of inter-est as a precatalyst in the acrylo-nitrile polymerization process and displays good catalytic activity under mild conditions.

Isomorphous rare-earth tris[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate] complexes and their catalytic properties in 1,3-diene polymerization and in the inhibited oxidation of polydimethylsiloxane.

Crystals of mononuclear tris[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato-κO]pentakis(methanol-κO)lanthanide methanol monosolvates of lanthanum, [La(C24H34O4P)3(CH3OH)5]·CH3OH, (1), cerium, [Ce(C24H34O4P)3(CH3OH)5]·CH3OH, (2), and neodymium, [Nd(C24H34O4P)3(CH3OH)5]·CH3OH, (3), have been obtained by reactions between LnCl3(H2O)n (n = 6 or 7) and lithium bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate in a 1:3 molar ratio in methanol media. Compounds (1)-(3) crystallize in the monoclinic P21/c space group and have isomorphous crystal structures. All three bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate ligands display a κO-monodentate coordination mode. The coordination number of the metal atom is 8. Each [Ln{O2P(O-2,6-iPr2C6H3)2}3(CH3OH)5] molecular unit exhibits four intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds, forming six-membered rings. The unit forms two intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds with one noncoordinating methanol molecule. All six hydroxy H atoms are involved in hydrogen bonding within the [Ln{O2P(O-2,6-iPr2C6H3)2}3(CH3OH)5]·CH3OH unit. This, along with the high steric hindrance induced by the three bulky diaryl phosphate ligands, prevents the formation of a hydrogen-bond network. Complexes (1)-(3) exhibit disorder of two of the isopropyl groups of the phosphate ligands. The cerium compound (2) demonstrates an essential catalytic inhibition in the thermal decomposition of polydimethylsiloxane in air at 573 K. Catalytic systems based on the neodymium complex tris[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato-κO]neodymium, (3'), which was obtained as a dry powder of (3) upon removal of methanol, display a high catalytic activity in isoprene and butadiene polymerization.

Isomorphous rare-earth bis[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phosphate] complexes and their self-assembly into two-dimensional frameworks by intramolecular hydrogen bonds.

The crystal structures of rare-earth diaryl- or dialkylphosphate derivatives are poorly explored. Crystals of bis[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phosphato-κO]chloridotetrakis(methanol-κO)neodymium methanol disolvate, [Nd(C24H34O4P)Cl(CH4O)4]·2CH3OH, (1), and of the lutetium, [Lu(C24H34O4P)Cl(CH4O)4]·2CH3OH, (2), and yttrium, [Y(C24H34O4P)Cl(CH4O)4]·2CH3OH, (3), analogues have been obtained by reactions between lithium bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phosphate and LnCl3(H2O)6 (in a 2:1 ratio) in methanol. Compounds (1)-(3) crystallize in the C2/c space group. Their crystal structures are isomorphous. The molecule possesses C2 symmetry with a twofold crystallographic axis passing through the Ln and Cl atoms. The bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phosphate ligands all display a κ1O-monodentate coordination mode. The coordination polyhedron for the metal atom [coordination number (CN) = 7] is a distorted pentagonal bipyramid. Each [Ln{O2P(O-2,6-iPr2C6H3)2}2Cl(CH3OH)4] molecular unit exhibits two intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds, forming six-membered rings, and two intramolecular O-H...Cl interactions, forming four-membered rings. Intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds connect each unit via four noncoordinating methanol molecules with four other units, forming a two-dimensional hydrogen-bond network. Crystals of bis[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phosphato-κO]tetrakis(methanol-κO)(nitrato-κ2O,O')neodymium methanol disolvate, [Nd(C24H34O4P)(NO3)(CH4O)4]·2CH3OH, (4), have been obtained in an analogous manner from NdCl3(H2O)6. Compound (4) also crystalizes in the C2/c space group. Its crystal structure is similar to those of (1)-(3). The κ2O,O'-bidentate nitrate anion is disordered over a twofold axis, being located nearly on it. Half of the molecule is crystallographically unique (CNNd = 8). Unlike (1)-(3), complex (4) exhibits disorder of all three methanol molecules, one isopropyl group of the phosphate ligand and the NO3- ligand. The structure of (4) displays intra- and intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds similar to those in (1)-(3). Compounds (1)-(4) represent the first reported mononuclear bis[bis(diaryl/dialkyl)phosphate] rare-earth complexes.

Crystal structure of [bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl) phosphato-κO]tris-(methanol-κO)lithium methanol monosolvate.

Crystals of the title compound, [Li{OOP(O-2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)2}(CH3OH)3]·CH3OH or [Li(C24H34O4P)(CH3OH)3]·CH3OH, have been formed in the reaction between HOOP(O-2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)2 and LiOH in methanol. The title compound is of inter-est as it represents the first reported crystal structure of the family of lithium phosphate diesters. The {Li(CH3OH)3[O2P(O-(i)Pr2C6H3)2]} unit displays the Li atom in a slightly distorted tetra-hedral coordination environment and exhibits one intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond between a coordinating methanol mol-ecule and the terminal non-coordinating O atom of the phosphate group. The unit is connected with two non-coordinating methanol mol-ecules through two inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and with a neighbouring unit through two other O-H⋯O inter-actions. These inter-molecular hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of infinite chains along [100]. There are no significant inter-actions between the chains.

Easily accessible, hydrocarbon-soluble, crystalline, anhydrous lanthanide (Nd, La, and Y) phosphates.

Nd, La and Y triphosphates were prepared via the reaction of potassium ionol ethyl phosphate with the corresponding lanthanide nitrates or chlorides in water. According to the X-ray diffraction data, the recrystallised reaction products were dimers. The products did not contain water, were readily soluble in hydrocarbon solvents and demonstrated promising catalytic properties in the polymerisation of butadiene and DL-dilactide.