Catalyst Editing via Post-Synthetic Functionalization by Phosphonium Generation and Anion Exchange for Nickel-Catalyzed Ethylene/Acrylate Copolymerization.

Rapid, efficient development of homogeneous catalysts featuring desired performance is critical to numerous catalytic transformations but remains a key challenge. Typically, this task relies heavily on ligand design that is often based on trial and error. Herein, we demonstrate a "catalyst editing" strategy in Ni-catalyzed ethylene/acrylate copolymerization. Specifically, alkylation of a pendant phosphine followed by anion exchange provides a high yield strategy for a large number of cationic Ni phosphonium catalysts with varying electronic and steric profiles. These catalysts are highly active in ethylene/acrylate copolymerization, and their behaviors are correlated with the electrophile and the anion used in late-stage functionalization.

Acrylate-Induced ß-H Elimination in Coordination Insertion Copolymerizaton Catalyzed by Nickel.

Polar monomer-induced ß-H elimination is a key elementary step in polar polyolefin synthesis by coordination polymerization but remains underexplored. Herein, we show that a bulky neutral Ni catalyst, 1Ph, is not only a high-performance catalyst in ethylene/acrylate copolymerization (activity up to ∼37,000 kg/(mol·h) at 130 °C in a batch reactor, mol % tBA ∼ 0.3) but also a suitable platform for investigation of acrylate-induced ß-H elimination. 4Ph-tBu, a novel Ni alkyl complex generated after acrylate-induced ß-H elimination and subsequent acrylate insertion, was identified and characterized by crystallography. A combination of catalysis and mechanistic studies reveals effects of the acrylate monomer, bidentate ligand, and the labile ligand (e.g., pyridine) on the kinetics of ß-H elimination, the role of ß-H elimination in copolymerization catalysis as a chain-termination pathway, and its potential in controlling the polymer microstructure in polar polyolefin synthesis.

Highly Active and Thermally Robust Nickel Enolate Catalysts for the Synthesis of Ethylene-Acrylate Copolymers.

The insertion copolymerization of polar olefins and ethylene remains a significant challenge in part due to catalysts' low activity and poor thermal stability. Herein we demonstrate a strategy toward addressing these obstacles through ligand design. Neutral nickel phosphine enolate catalysts with large phosphine substituents reaching the axial positions of Ni achieve activity of up to 7.7×103  kg mol-1 h-1 (efficiency >35×103  g copolymer/g Ni) at 110 °C, notable for ethylene/acrylate copolymerization. NMR analysis of resulting copolymers reveals highly linear microstructures with main-chain ester functionality. Structure-performance studies indicate a strong correlation between axial steric hindrance and catalyst performance.

Efficient Copolymerization of Acrylate and Ethylene with Neutral P, O-Chelated Nickel Catalysts: Mechanistic Investigations of Monomer Insertion and Chelate Formation.

The efficient copolymerization of acrylates with ethylene using Ni catalysts remains a challenge. Herein, we report two neutral Ni(II) catalysts (POP-Ni-py (1) and PONap-Ni-py (2)) that exhibit high thermal stability and significantly higher incorporation of polar monomer (for 1) or improved resistance to tert-butylacrylate (tBA)-induced chain transfer (for 2), in comparison to previously reported catalysts. Nickel alkyl complexes generated after tBA insertion, POP-Ni-CCO(py) (3) and PONap-Ni-CCO(py) (4), were isolated and, for the first time, characterized by crystallography. Weakened lutidine vs pyridine coordination in 2-lut facilitated the isolation of a N-donor-free adduct after acrylate insertion PONap-Ni-CCO (5) which represents a novel example of a four-membered chelate relevant to acrylate polymerization catalysis. Experimental kinetic studies of six cases of monomer insertion with aforementioned nickel complexes indicate that pyridine dissociation and monomer coordination are fast relative to monomer migratory insertion and that monomer enchainment after tBA insertion is the rate limiting step of copolymerization. Further evaluation of monomer insertion using density functional theory studies identified a cis-trans isomerization via Berry-pseudorotation involving one of the pendant ether groups as the rate-limiting step for propagation, in the absence of a polar group at the chain end. The energy profiles for ethylene and tBA enchainments are in qualitative agreement with experimental measurements.

The titanium tris-anilide cation [Ti(N[(t)Bu]Ar)3](+) stabilized as its perfluoro-tetra-phenylborate salt: structural characterization and synthesis in connection with redox activity of 4,4'-bipyridine dititanium complexes.

This work explores the reduction of 4,4'-bipyridine using two equivalents of the titanium(iii) complex Ti(N[(t)Bu]Ar)3 resulting in formation of a black, crystalline complex, (4,4'-bipy){Ti(N[(t)Bu]Ar)3}2, for which an X-ray structure determination is reported. The neutral, black, 4,4'-bipyridine-bridged bimetallic was found to be redox active, with mono- and di-anions being accessible electrochemically, and with the mono- and di-cations also being accessible chemically, and isolable, at least when using the weakly coordinating anion [B(C6F5)4](-) as the counter-ion. It proved possible to crystallize the salt [(4,4'-bipy){Ti(N[(t)Bu]Ar)3}2][B(C6F5)4]2 for a single-crystal X-ray structure investigation; in this instance it was revealed that the aromaticity of the 4,4'-bipyridine ligand, that had been disrupted upon reduction, had been regained. A rare cationic d(0) metal tris-amide complex, shown by X-ray crystallography to contain an intriguing pyramidal TiN3 core geometry, namely {Ti(N[(t)Bu]Ar)3}(+), could also be isolated when using [B(C6F5)4] as the essentially non-interacting counter-ion. This highly reactive cation should be considered as a potential intermediate in the plethora of reactions wherein Ti(N[(t)Bu]Ar)3 has been shown to effect the reduction of substrates including halogenated organic molecules, carbonyl compounds, organic nitriles, and metal complexes.

Triple-bond reactivity of an AsP complex intermediate: synthesis stemming from molecular arsenic, As(4).

While P(4) is the stable molecular form of phosphorus, a recent study illustrated the possibility of P(2) generation for reactions in organic media under mild conditions. The heavier group 15 element arsenic can exist as As(4) molecules, but As(4) cannot be stored as a pure substance because it is both light-sensitive and reverts thermally to its stable, metallic gray form. Herein we report As(4) activation giving rise to a mu-As(2) diniobium complex, serving in turn as precursor to a terminal arsenide anion complex of niobium. Functionalization of the latter provides the new AsPNMes* ligand, which when complexed with tungsten pentacarbonyl elicits extrusion of the (AsP)W(CO)(5) molecule as a reactive intermediate. Trapping reactions of the latter with organic dienes are found to furnish double Diels-Alder adducts in which the AsP unit is embedded in a polycyclic organic framework. Thermal generation of (AsP)W(CO)(5) in the presence of the neutral terminal phosphide complex P identical withMo(N[(i)Pr]Ar)(3) leads to the cyclo-AsP(2) complex (OC)(5)W(cyclo-AsP(2))Mo(N[(i)Pr]Ar)(3). The (AsP)W(CO)(5) trapping products were crystallized and characterized by X-ray diffraction methods, and computational methods were applied for analysis of the As-As and As-P bonds in the complexes.

Diamidonaphthalene-supported pnictogenium cations: synthesis of an N-heterocyclic stibenium cation by a novel protonation route.

A 1,8-bis(alkylamido)naphthalene framework has been applied to the construction of N-heterocyclic arsenium and stibenium cations; a novel synthetic route, involving protonation of an ancillary amido ligand, was used to generate the base-stabilized stibenium cation.

Hypervalent, low-coordinate phosphorus(III) centers in complexes of the phosphadiazonium cation with chelate ligands.

Trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy-(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenylimino)phosphine, Mes*NPOTf (Mes = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl, OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate, triflate) reacts quantitatively with the multifunctional ligands 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-BIPY), N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), 1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane (DEPE), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (DIPHOS), and N,N,N',N' ',N' '-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) to give the Lewis acid-base complexes [Mes*NP(2,2'-BIPY)][OTf], [Mes*NP(TMEDA)][OTf], [Mes*NP(DIPHOS)][OTf], [Mes*NP(DEPE)][OTf], and [Mes*NP(PMDETA)][OTf], respectively. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies indicate that the closest contact of the ligand donor atoms occurs at phosphorus in all cases, affecting significant displacement of the OTf anion. The resulting cations [Mes*NP(L)]+ are best described as complexes of a neutral chelating ligand on a phosphadiazonium Lewis acceptor, and highlight the potential for electron-rich centers to behave as Lewis acids despite the presence of a lone pair of electrons at the acceptor site. More importantly, the new complexes represent rare examples of systems containing hypervalent, low-coordinate phosphorus(III) centers.

Ylidene-->iminophosphine coordination complexes and reversible dissociation of dichlorophosphetidines.

Chloro-, bromo-, iodo-, and trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy-(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenylimino)phosphines (MesNPX; X = Cl, Br, I, OTf) react quantitatively with 1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene (Im) to give Lewis acid-base complexes with the general formula MesNP(Im)X. The dichlorophosphetidine (DippNPCl)(2) (Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) represents a formal cyclodimer of an iminophosphine and reacts with Im to give a similar complex. The process represents a ligand induced dissociation of the phosphetidine framework and is reversed by the introduction of an appropriate Lewis acid. Solid state structures of RNP(Im)X complexes show that the closest contact between acid and base occurs between phosphorus and carbon in all cases, highlighting them as compounds that contain examples of C-->P coordinate bonds. Association of Im with phosphorus also effects a substantial increase in the P-X distance, but all derivatives maintain a short NP bond, indicating the presence of NP pi-bonding.

Donor-rich and acceptor-rich pyridine-phosphadiazonium adducts: diversifying the Lewis acceptor chemistry of phosphorus(III).

[Mes*NP(DMAP)2][OTf] represents the first ligand-rich coordination complex of a phosphorus(III) Lewis acceptor, and a three coordinate hypervalent electron-rich (lone pair bearing) center; further diversification is demonstrated by, [(Mes*NP)2(4,4'-BIPY)][OTf]2, representing an acceptor-rich dication.

Chalcogeno-urea ligands on a phosphadiazonium Lewis acceptor: a new synthetic approach to Ch-P bonds (Ch = O, S, Se).

The isolation and characterization of the first intermolecular chalcogeno-urea complexes of iminophosphines are described. Trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenylimino)phosphine, MesNPOTf, reacts quantitatively with chalcogenoimidazolines (ChIm, Ch = O, S, Se) and 1,3-dimethyldiphenylurea (OU) to give Lewis acid-base complexes, [MesNP.ChIm]OTf and [MesNP.OU]OTf. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies indicate that the closest contact of the chalcogeno-urea donor occurs at phosphorus in all cases, representing compounds that contain examples of O-P, S-P, and Se-P coordinate bonds. In all complexes, coordination of the ligand causes significant displacement of the OTf anion, and the resulting cations [MesNP.L](+) are best described as complexes of a neutral ligand on a phosphadiazonium Lewis acceptor. As such, the complex ions [MesNP.L](+) are novel examples of cationic systems containing dicoordinate phosphorus centers. The complexes highlight the potential for electron-rich centers to behave as Lewis acids despite the presence of a lone pair of electrons at the acceptor site.