Thiophene-NPN Ligand Supported Rare-Earth Metal Bis(alkyl) Complexes. Synthesis and Catalysis toward Highly trans-1,4 Selective Polymerization of Butadiene

A series of new rare-earth metal bis(alkyl) complexes [L(1-3)Ln(CH2SiMe3)(2)(THF)(n)] (L-1 = MeC4H2SCH2NC6H4(Ph)(2)P=NC6H2Me3-2,4,6: Ln = Sc, n = 1 (1a); Ln = Lu, n = 1 (1b); L-2 = MeC4H2SCH2NC6H4(Ph)(2)P=NC6H3Et2-2,6: Ln = Sc, n = 1 (2a); Ln = Lu, n = 1 (2b); Ln = Y, n = 1 (2c); L-3 = MeC4H2SCH2NC6H4(Ph)(2)P=(NC6H3Pr2)-Pr-i-2,6: Ln = Sc, n = 0 (3a)) and (LSc)-Sc-4(CH2SiMe3)(2()THF) (4a) (L-4 = C6H5CH2NC6H4(Ph)(2)P=NC6H3Et2-2,6) have been prepared by reaction of rare-earth metal tris(alkyl)s with the corresponding HL1-4 ligands via alkane elimination.

Highly 3,4-selective living polymerization of isoprene with rare earth metal fluorenyl N-heterocyclic carbene precursors

Fluorenyl modified N-heterocyclic carbene ligated rare earth metal bis(alkyl) complexes, (Flu-NHC)Ln(CH2SiMe3)2 (Flu-NHC = (C13H8CH2CH2(NCHCCHN)C6H2Me3-2,4,6); Ln = Sc (1a); Ln = Y (1b); Ln = Ho (1c); Ln = Lit (1d)), were synthesized and fully characterized by NMR and X-ray diffraction analyses. Complexes Ib-d with the activation of (AlBu3)-Bu-i and [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4] exhibited high activity, medium syndio-but remarkably high 3,4-regio-selectivity, and the unprecedented livingness for the polymerization of isoprene. Such distinguished catalytic performances could be maintained under various monomer-to-initiator ratios (500-5000) and broad polymerization temperatures (25-80 degrees C).

Enolic Schiff base aluminum complexes and their catalytic stereoselective polymerization of racemic lactide

A series of enolic Schiff base aluminum(III) complexes LAIR (where L = NNOO-tetradentate enolic Schiff base ligand) containing ligands that differ in their steric and electronic properties were synthesized. Their single crystals showed that these complexes are five -coordinated around the aluminum center. Their coordination geometries are between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal. Their catalytic properties in the solution polymerization of racemic lactide (rac-LA) were examined. The modifications in the auxiliary ligand exhibited a dramatic influence on the catalytic performance.

Grown-like macrocycle zinc complex derived from beta-diketone ligand for the polymerization of rac-lactide

Enolic Schiff base zinc (II) complex 1 was synthesized. XRD revealed 1 was a novel crown-like macrocycle structure consisted of hexanuclear units of (LZnEt)(6) via the coordination chelation between the Zn atom and adjacent amine nitrogen atom. Further reaction of 1 with one equivalent 2-propanol at RT produced Zn-alkoxide 2 by in situ alcoholysis. Complex 2 was used as an initiator to polymerize rac-lactide in a controlled manner to give heterotactic enriched polylactide. Factors that influenced the polymerization such as the polymerization time and the temperature as well as the monomer concentration were discussed in detail in this paper.

Synthesis and characterization of novel neutral nickel complexes bearing fluorinated salicylaidiminato ligands and their catalytic behavior for vinylic polymerization of norbornene

A series of salicylaldimine-based neutral Ni(II) complexes (3a-j) [ArN = CH(C6H40)]Ni(PPh3)Ph [3a,Ar = C6H5; 3b,Ar = C6H4F(o); 3c, Ar = C6H4F(m); 3d, Ar = C6H4F(p); 3e, Ar = C6H3F2(2,4); 3f, Ar = C6H3F2(2,5); 3g, Ar = C6H3F2(2,6); 3h, Ar = C6H3F2(3,5); 3i, Ar = C6H2F3(3,4,5); 3j, Ar = C6H5] have been synthesized in good yield, and the structures of complexes 3a and 3i have been confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Using modified methylaluminoxane as a cocatalyst, these neutral Ni(II) complexes exhibited high catalytic activities for the vinylic polymerization of norbornene.

Branched polystyrene with abundant pendant vinyl functional groups from asymmetric divinyl monomer

Branched polystyrenes with abundant pendant vinyl functional groups were prepared via radical polymerization of an asymmetric divinyl monomer, which possesses a higher reactive styryl and a lower reactive butenyl. Employing a fast reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) equilibrium, the concentration of active propagation chains remained at a low value and thus crosslinking did not occur until a high level of monomer conversion. The combination of a higher reaction temperature (120 degrees C) and RAFT agent cumyl dithiobenzoate was demonstrated to be optimal for providing both a more highly branched architecture and a higher polymer yield.

Ethylene Polymerization of the New Titanium Complexes Bearing a Phosphine Oxide-Bridged Bisphenolato Ligand

A series of novel titanium(IV) complexes combining a phosphine oxide-bridged bisphenolato ligand TiCl2{2,2'-O=P-R-3 (4-R-2-6-R-1-C6H2O)(2)}(THF) (6a: R-1 = tBu, R-2 - H, R-3 Ph; 6b: R-1 - Ph, R-2 = H, R-3 = Ph; 6c: R-1 = R-2 = tBu, R-3 = Ph; 6d: R-1 = R-2 cumyl, R-3 = Ph; 6e: R-1 = tBu, R-2 = H, R-3 = PhF5) were prepared by the reaction of corresponding bisphenolato ligands with TiCl4 in THF. X-ray analysis reveals that complex 6a adopts distorted octahedral geometry around the titanium center. These catalysts were performed for ethylene polymerization in the presence of modified methyaluminoxane (MMAO).

Polymerization of ethylene to branched polyethylene with silica and Merrifield resin supported nickel(II) catalysts with alpha-diimine ligands

Silica and Merrifield resin were used as carriers for the support of alpha-diimine nickel(II) precatalysts for ethylene polymerization. The alpha-diimine ligands containing allyl were modified by introducing the reactive Si-Cl end-group, allowing their immobilization via a direct reaction of the Si-Cl groups with the silanols on silica surface or the hydroxyls on the ethanolamine-modified Merrifield resin. The resulting supported alpha-diimine ligands were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic techniques (NMR and Fr-IR).

Synthesis of magnetite core-shell nanoparticles by surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide

Fe3O4-polylactide (PLA) core-shell nanoparticles were perpared by surface functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and subsequent surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide. PLA was directly connected onto the magnetic nanoparticles surface through a chemical linkage. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra directly provided evidence of the PLA on the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy images (TEM) showed that the magnetic nanoparticles were coated by PLA with a 3-nm-thick shell.

Syndiotactically enriched 1,2-selective polymerization of 1,3-butadiene initiated by iron catalysts based on a new class of donors

A series of phosphoryl (P=O) contained compounds: triethylphosphate (a), diethyl phenyl phosphate (b), ethyldiphenylphosphate (c) triarylphosphates (d and h-m), triphenylphosphine oxide (e), phenyl diphenylphosphinate (f) and diphenyl phenylphosphonate (g) have been prepared. Iron catalysts, which are generated in situ by mixing the compounds with Fe(2-EHA)(3) and (AlBu3)-Bu-i in hexane, are tested for butadiene polymerization at 50 degrees C. Phosphates donated catalysts have been, unprecedently, found to conduct extremely high syndiotactically (pentad, rrrr=46.1-94.5%) enriched 1,2-selective (1,2-structure content=56.2-94.3%) polymerization of butadiene.

Preparation and characterization of poly(piperazineamide) composite nanofiltration membrane by interfacial polymerization of 3,3 ',5,5 '-biphenyl tetraacyl chloride and piperazine

Most nanofiltration (NF) membranes are composite and have a polyamide thin film prepared by interfacial polymerization. Their performances mainly correlate the structure of the thin film and monomers used for its preparation. In this work, a novel thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration membrane was successfully prepared from 3,3',5,5'-biphenyl tetraacyl chloride (mm-BTEC) and piperazine (PIP) through interfacial polymerization. Attenuated reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the chemical composition of the membrane surface. The membrane performance was optimized by studying preparation parameters including monomer concentration, reaction time, and pH of aqueous phase.

Polymerization of Lactide Using Achiral Bis(pyrrolidene) Schiff Base Aluminum Complexes

A series of aluminum ethyls and isopropoxides based on a bis(pyrrolidene) Schiff base ligand framework has been prepared and characterized. NMR studies of the dissolved complexes indicate that they adopt a symmetric structure with a monomeric, five-coordinated aluminum center core. The aluminum ethyls used as catalysts in the presence of 2-propanol as initiator and the aluminum isopropoxides were applied for lactide polymerization in toluene to test their activities and stereoselectivities. All polymerizations are living, as evidenced by the narrow polydispersities and the good fit between calculated and found number-average molecular weights of the isolated polymers. All of these aluminum complexes polymerized (S,S)-lactide to highly isotactic PLA without epimerization of the monomer, furnished isotactic-biased polymer from rac-lactide, and gave atactic polymer from meso-lactide.

The Surface Modification of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles by the Ring Opening Polymerization of gamma-Benzyl-L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride

The surface modification of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles by the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (BLG-NCA) was proposed to prepare the poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG)-grafted HA nanoparticles (PBLG-g-HA) for the first time. HA nanoparticles were firstly treated by 3-aminopropylthriethoxysilane (APS) and then the terminal amino groups of the modified HA particles initiated the ROP of BLG-NCA to obtain PBLG-g-HA. The process was monitored by XPS and FT-IR. The surface grafting amounts of PBLG on HA ranging from 12.1 to 43.1% were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the ROP only underwent on the surface of HA nanoparticles without changing its bulk properties. The SEM measurement showed that the PBLG-g-HA hybrid could form an interpenetrating net structure in the self-assembly process.

Highly 3,4-Selective Polymerization of Isoprene with NPN Ligand Stabilized Rare-Earth Metal Bis(alkyl)s. Structures and Performances

Deprotonation of (ArNHPPh2NAr2)-N-1 (H[NPN](n), n = 1 - 10) by Ln(CH2SiMe3)(3)(THF)(2) (Ln = Lu, Y, Sc, Er) generated a series of rare-earth metal bis(alkyl) complexes [NPN](n)Ln(CH2SiMe3)(2)(THF)(2) (1-10), which under activation with [Ph3C][B(C6F5)(4)] and AliBu(3) were tested for isoprene polymerization. The correlation between catalytic performances and molecular structures of the complexes has been investigated. Complexes 1-5 and 8, where Ar-1 is nonsubstituted or ortho-alkyl-substituted phenyl, adopt trigonal-bipyramidal geometry. The Ar-1 and Ar-2 rings are perpendicular in 1-4 and 8 but parallel in 5. When Ar-1 is pyridyl, the resultant lutetium and yttrium complexes 9a and 9b adopt tetragonal geometry with the ligand coordinating to the metal ions in a N,N,N-tridentate mode, whereas in the scandium analogue 9c, the ligand coordinates to the Sc3+ ion in a N,N-bidentate mode. These structural characteristics endow the complexes with versatile catalytic performances, With increase of the steric bulkiness of the ortho-substituents Ar-1 and Ar-2, the 3,4-selectivity increased stepwise from 81.6% for lutetium complex 1 to 96.8% for lutetium complex 6 and to 97.8% for lutetium complex 7a. However, further increase of the steric bulk of the ligand led to a slight drop of 3,4-selectivity for the attached complex 5 (95.1%).

Polymerization of 2,2 '-Dimethyltrimethylene Carbonate by Lutetium Complexes Bearing Amino-Phosphine Ligands

A series of lutetium alkyl, amino, and guanidinato complexes based upon an amino-phosphine ligand framework had been prepared. These complexes were applied to initiate ring-opening polymerization of 2,2'-dimethyltrimethylene carbonate (DTC). The type of the initiator significantly influenced the catalytic activity of these complexes in a trend as follows: alkyl approximate to guanidinate > amide, whereas the complexes with flexible backbone between P and N atoms within the ligand exhibited higher activity than those with rigid backbone. The isolated PDTC had bimodal-mode molecular weight distribution. The molecular weights of each fraction increased linearly with the conversion, indicating that there might be two active species. This had been confirmed by analyses of oligomeric DTC living species and oligomer with NMR technique as the metal-alkoxide and the four-membered metallocyclic lactate. Kinetic investigation displayed that the polymerization rate was the first order with the monomer concentration.