Engineered Anchor Peptide LCI with a Cobalt Cofactor Enhances Oxidation Efficiency of Polystyrene Microparticles.

A typical component of polymer waste is polystyrene (PS) used in numerous applications, but degraded only slowly in the environment due to its hydrophobic properties. To increase the reactivity of polystyrene, polar groups need to be introduced. Here, biohybrid catalysts based on the engineered anchor peptide LCI_F16C are presented, which are capable of attaching to polystyrene microparticles and hydroxylating benzylic C-H bonds in polystyrene microparticles using commercially available oxone as oxidant. LCI peptides achieve a dense surface coverage of PS through monolayer formation within minutes in aqueous solutions at ambient temperature. The catalytically active cobalt cofactor Co-L1 or Co-L2 with a modified NNNN macrocyclic TACD ligand (TACD=1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) is covalently bound to the anchor peptide LCI through a maleimide linker. Compared to the free cofactors, a 12- to 15-fold improvement in catalytic activity using biohybrid catalysts based on LCI_F16C was observed.

Deaggregation of Zinc Dihydride by Lewis Acids Including Carbon Dioxide in the Presence of Nitrogen Donors.

Thermally sensitive polymeric zinc dihydride [ZnH2]n can conveniently be prepared by the reaction of ZnEt2 with [AlH3(NEt3)]. When reacted with CO2 (1 bar) in the presence of chelating N-donor ligands Ln = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine (TMPDA), N,N,N',N″,N''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDTA), and 1,4,7,10-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (Me4TACD), insertion into the Zn-H bond readily occurred. Depending on the denticity n, formates [(Ln)Zn(OCHO)2] were isolated and structurally characterized, either as a molecule (Ln = TMEDA, TMPDA, PMDTA) or a charge-separated ion pair [(Ln)Zn(OCHO)][OCHO] (Ln = Me4TACD). The reaction of [ZnH2]n with the mild Lewis acid BPh3 in the presence of chelating N-donor ligands Ln gave a series of hydridotriphenylborates, either as a contact ion pair [(L2)Zn(H)(HBPh3)] (L2 = TMEDA, TMPDA) or a separated ion pair [(Ln)Zn(H)][HBPh3] (Ln = PMDTA, Me4TACD). In the crystal, the contact ion pair [(TMEDA)Zn(H)(HBPh3)] showed a bent Zn-H-B bridge indicative of a delocalized Zn-H-B interaction. In contrast, a linear Zn-H-B bridge for [(TMPDA)Zn(H)(HBPh3)] was observed, suggesting a contact ion pair. In THF solution, both complexes show an exchange with free BPh3 as well as [HBPh3]-. DFT calculations suggest the presence of [HBPh3]- anion with a highly polarized B-H bond that interacts with the Lewis acidic zinc hydride cation [(L2)Zn(H)]+. The hydridotriphenylborates [(Ln)Zn(H)(HBPh3)] underwent CO2 insertion to give (formato)zinc (formoxy)triphenylborate complexes [(Ln)Zn(OCHO)][(OCHO)BPh3] (Ln = TMPDA, PMDTA, Me4TACD). For Ln = TMEDA, a dinuclear complex [(Ln)2Zn2(µ-OCHO)3][(OCHO)BPh3] was isolated. Hydridotriphenylborates [(Ln)Zn(H)(HBPh3)] catalyzed the hydrosilylation of CO2 (1 bar) by nBuMe2SiH in THF at 70 °C to give formoxysilane and (methoxy)silane.

Polymerization of norbornene using chiral bis(phenolate) zirconium catalysts.

Norbornene is polymerized by employing zirconium catalysts with (OSSO)-type bis(phenolate) ligands. The racemic precatalyst rac-1 produces high molecular weight poly(norbornene) with slight optical activity. Enantiopure precatalysts (S,S)-1 and (R,R)-1 are used to study the optical induction in the poly(norbornene)s formed. To overcome the insolubility of poly(norbornene)s in common solvents, their microstructure is studied using copolymers with ethylene as well as hydrooligomers. The crystal structure of a norbornene tetramer is reported.

Synthesis, characterization, and lactide polymerization activity of group 4 metal complexes containing two bis(phenolate) ligands.

A series of group 4 metal complexes Zr-(1)(2), Zr-(2)(2), Zr-(3)(2), Zr-(4)(2), Zr-(5)(2), Hf-(1)(2), and Hf-(4)(2) containing two bridged bis(phenolate) ligands of the (OSSO)-type were prepared by the reaction of the corresponding bis(phenol) and group 4 metal precursor MX(4) (X = O(i)Pr, CH(2)Ph) and isolated as robust, colorless crystals. NMR spectra indicate D(2) symmetry, in agreement with the solid state structure determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction study of the complexes Zr-(1)(2), Hf-(1)(2), Zr-(3)(2), Zr-(4)(2), and Zr-(5)(2). The complexes with the 1,4-dithiabutanediyl bridged ligands exhibit a highly symmetric coordination around the metal center. The introduction of the rigid trans-1,2-cyclohexanediyl bridged ligands led to a distorted coordination around the metal center in Zr-(4)(2) and Zr-(5)(2) when the ortho substituent is tert-butyl and the para substituent is larger than methyl. The complexes Zr-(1)(2), Zr-(2)(2), Zr-(3)(2), Zr-(4)(2) as well as Hf-(1)(2) and Hf-(4)(2) initiated the ring-opening polymerization of meso-lactide at 100 °C to give heterotactic polylactide with pronounced heterotacticity (>70%) and varying polydispersity (1.05 < M(w)/M(n) < 1.61). As shown by kinetic studies, zirconium complex Zr-(1)(2) polymerized meso-lactide faster than the homologous hafnium complex Hf-(1)(2).

Indium complexes supported by 1,omega-dithiaalkanediyl-bridged bis(phenolato) ligands: synthesis, structure, and controlled ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide.

Indium bis(phenolato) complexes [In(L)R(THF)(n)] (L = 1,4-dithiabutanediylbis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenolato) (etbbp), R = Cl, n = 0, 1; L = 1,3-dithiapropanediylbis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolato) (mtbmp), R = Me, n = 1, 2; L = 1,4-dithiabutanediyl-bis(6-tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenolato) (etbmp), R = Me, n = 0, 3; L = etbbp, R = CH(2)SiMe(3), n = 0, 4; L = 1,4-dithiabutanediylbis{4,6-di(2-phenyl-2-propyl)phenolato} (etccp), R = CH(2)SiMe(3), n = 0, 5) were prepared from indium trichloride or from the corresponding tris(alkyl) complexes and 1 equiv of tetradentate 1,omega-dithiaalkanediyl-bridged bis(phenol) LH(2). The monomeric nature of the alkyl indium complexes was shown by X-ray diffraction studies of the complexes [In(mtbmp)Me(THF)] (2), [In(etbbp)(CH(2)SiMe(3))] (4), and [In(etccp)(CH(2)SiMe(3))] (5). Pseudo-octahedral configuration was found for 2, while square pyramidal structure was observed for 4 and 5. The isopropoxy complexes [In(L)(O(i)Pr)] (L = etbbp, 6; etccp, 7) were synthesized starting with indium tris(isopropoxide). Complex 6 crystallized as homochiral dimer of pseudo-octahedral fragments with bridging mu(2)-alkoxide ligands, but in solution two diastereomers were observed. The isopropoxy complexes efficiently initiated the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide in toluene to give isotactic poly(L-lactides) with narrow molecular weight distribution (M(w)/M(n) = 1.03-1.18).

Group 3 metal initiators with an [OSSO]-type bis(phenolate) ligand for the stereoselective polymerization of lactide monomers.

A series of 1,ω-dithiaalkanediyl-bridged bis(phenols) of the general type [OSSO]H(2) with variable steric properties and various bridges were prepared. The stoichiometric reaction of the bis(phenols) 1,3-dithiapropanediyl-2,2'-bis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenol), 1,3-dithiapropanediyl-2,2'-bis[4,6-di(2-phenyl-2-propyl)phenol], rac-2,3-trans-propanediyl-1,4-dithiabutanediyl-2,2'-bis[4,6-di(2-phenyl-2-propyl)phenol], rac-2,3-trans-butanediyl-1,4-dithiabutane diyl-2,2'-bis[4,6-di(2-phenyl-2-propyl)phenol], rac-2,3-trans-hexanediyl-1,4-dithiabutanediyl-2,2'-bis[4,6-di(2-phenyl-2-propyl)phenol], 1,3-dithiapropanediyl-2,2'-bis[6-(1-methylcyclohexyl)-4-methylphenol] (C(1), R=1-methylcyclohexyl), and 1,4-dithiabutanediyl-2,2'-bis[6-(1-methylcyclohexyl)-4-methylphenol] with rare-earth metal silylamido precursors [Ln{N(SiHMe(2))(2)(3)(thf)(x)] (Ln=Sc, x=1 or Ln=Y, x=2; thf=tetrahydrofuran) afforded the corresponding scandium and yttrium bis(phenolate) silylamido complexes [Ln(OSSO){N(SiHMe(2))(2)}(thf)] in moderate to good yields. The monomeric nature of these complexes was shown by an X-ray diffraction study of one of the yttrium complexes. The complexes efficiently initiated the ring-opening polymerization of rac- and meso-lactide to give heterotactic-biased poly(rac-lactides) and highly syndiotactic poly(meso-lactides). Variation of the ligand backbone and the steric properties of the ortho substituents affected the level of tacticity in the polylactides.

Aluminium alkyl complexes supported by [OSSO] type bisphenolato ligands: synthesis, characterization and living polymerization of rac-lactide.

Aluminium alkyl complexes [(OSSO)AlR](1-3: R = Me, Et) were isolated in good yields from the protonolysis reaction of AlR3 with the corresponding tetradentate 1,omega-dithiaalkanediyl-bridged bisphenols (1,4-dithiabutanediyl-bis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol), etbmpH2; ortho-xylylenedithio-bis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol), xytbmpH2). The monomeric structures of all three complexes were confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. Complexes 1 and 2 have an isotypic packing arrangement. The aluminium center is coordinated by the etbmp ligand and one alkyl group with distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. Complex 3 shows Cs symmetry with square pyramidal geometry around the metal center. Substitution reaction of complex 1 with trityl alcohol gave the monomeric alkoxide complex [(etbmp)Al(OCPh3)] 4, which has a similar trigonal bipyramidal geometry around the aluminium atom as complex 1. In the presence of isopropanol, complexes 1-3 initiated the living ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide (PDI = 1.03-1.06, Mw/Mn). The ligand structure influenced the tacticity of the obtained polymer, with complex 3 giving heterotactic-enriched polylactides.