Boron alkyls, initiator

Trialkyl boron was first claimed as a new anionic initiator for the polymerization of vinyl compounds (264), although it was rather improbable in view of the low ionic character of the boron-carbon bond. The error was quickly corrected when it was shown that free radicals were involved (265, 266) and that oxygen, peroxides, silver salts and copper salts were co-catalysts (262, 267). Aluminum alkyls can also initiate radical polymerizations in the presence of oxygen (267,262) but, as in the case of zinc, cadmium or boron alkyls, the products were not stereoregular. Thus, complexing between catalyst and monomer probably does not occur. 

There appears to have been little interest in ionic polymerization of the diallyl phthalates. In one patent, it is implied that the initiation of diallyl o-phthalate by boron alkyls in the presence of oxygen probably involves a free-radical process [110]. 

Boron Alkyls and Metal Alkyl Initiators of Free-Radical Polymerizations... 

Initiating radicals apparently come from reactions of these peroxides with other molecule of boron alkyls. One postulated reaction mechanism can be illustrated as follows ... 

Precaution Flamm. uel 21.3%, lei 5.5% may form explosive mixts. in air incompat. with oxidizers can react violently with hydrogen chloride alkyl boron/alkyl hyponitrite compds. initiate polymerization forms peroxides with pure oxygen heat-sensitive Hazardous Decomp. Prods. CO, CO2, hydrogen fluoride heated to decomp., emits toxic fluoride fumes emits toxic fumes underfire conditions... 

It is not always easy to deduce the mechanism of a polymerization. In general, no reliable conclusions can be drawn solely from the type of initiator used. Ziegler catalysts, for example, consist of a compound of a transition metal (e.g., TiCU) and a compound of an element from the first through third groups (e.g., AIR3) (for a more detailed discussion, see Chapter 19). They usually induce polyinsertions. The phenyl titanium triisopropoxide/aluminum triisopropoxide system, however, initiates a free radical polymerization of styrene. BF3, together with cocatalysts (see Chapter 18), generally initiates cationic polymerizations, but not in diazomethane, in which the polymerization is started free radically via boron alkyls. The mode of action of the initiators thus depends on the medium as well as on the monomer. Iodine in the form of iodine iodide, I I induces the cationic polymerization of vinyl ether, but in the form of certain complexes DI I (with D = benzene, dioxane, certain monomers), it leads to an anionic polymerization of 1-oxa-4,5-dithiacycloheptane. 

In by far the largest number of cases of free radical copolymerization, the reactivity ratios are practically independent of the nature of the starting reaction (thermal, photochemical, radical-forming type) and the site of propagation (bulk, solution, emulsion). Ionic copolymerization, by contrast, leads to quite different parameters (Table 22-13). Thus copolymerizations can be employed as a diagnostic tool for initiators whose mode of action is unknown, differentiating between free radical copolymerization and the nonradical mechanism (Table 22-14). On such evidence, boron alkyls appear to be free radical initiators in the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate with acrylonitrile, whereas lithium alkyls are anionic initiators. 

Boron alkyls and Ziegler-Natta catalyst systems have also been mentioned in the patent literature [551,552]. The initiating systems have been modified by the addition of elemental titanium, solvents (lactones, amides), plasticizers (esters, carboxylic or phosphoric acids), and lead and cadmium compounds. 

The second site to be altered was the alkyl substituent on the boron center. Initially, it was proposed that the nature of this group should not have a major impact on the level of enantioselection of the cyclopropanation reaction. It is believed that this group simply adopts the pseudoequatorial position of the envelope conformation of the five-membered ring. Several different dioxaborolane ligands were prepared by the same method as that reported earlier. Four novel dioxaborolane additives were prepared with R = Me, Ph, 2-naphthyl and 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl. The enantioselectivities observed for the cyclopropanation reaction are shown in Table I. In all the cases, the enantioselectivities were in the same range as that obtained with R = Bu, except for the 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl substituent. This information suggests that a sterically encumbered substituent on boron may partially prevent the postulated association between the zinc alkoxide and the boron center. In that case, the non-boron-assisted pathway can eventually become competitive. 

In cases where Noyori s reagent (see p. 102f.) and other enantioselective reducing agents are not successful, (+)- or (—)-chlorodiisopinocampheylborane (Ipc BCl) may help. This reagent reduces prochiral aryl and tert-alkyl ketones with exceptionally high enantiomeric excesses (J. Chandrasekharan, 1985 H.C. Brown, 1986). The initially formed boron moiety is usually removed hy precipitation with diethanolamine. Ipc2BCl has, for example, been applied to synthesize polymer-supported chiral epoxides with 90% e.e. from Merrifield resins (T. Antonsson, 1989). 

Acetic anhydride adds to acetaldehyde in the presence of dilute acid to form ethyUdene diacetate [542-10-9], boron fluoride also catalyzes the reaction (78). Ethyfldene diacetate decomposes to the anhydride and aldehyde at temperatures of 220—268°C and initial pressures of 14.6—21.3 kPa (110—160 mm Hg) (79), or upon heating to 150°C in the presence of a zinc chloride catalyst (80). Acetone (qv) [67-64-1] has been prepared in 90% yield by heating an aqueous solution of acetaldehyde to 410°C in the presence of a catalyst (81). Active methylene groups condense acetaldehyde. The reaction of isobutfyene/715-11-7] and aqueous solutions of acetaldehyde in the presence of 1—2% sulfuric acid yields alkyl-y -dioxanes 2,4,4,6-tetramethyl-y -dioxane [5182-37-6] is produced in yields up to 90% (82). 

Friedel-Crafts (Lewis) acids have been shown to be much more effective in the initiation of cationic polymerization when in the presence of a cocatalyst such as water, alkyl haUdes, and protic acids. Virtually all feedstocks used in the synthesis of hydrocarbon resins contain at least traces of water, which serves as a cocatalyst. The accepted mechanism for the activation of boron trifluoride in the presence of water is shown in equation 1 (10). Other Lewis acids are activated by similar mechanisms. In a more general sense, water may be replaced by any appropriate electron-donating species (eg, ether, alcohol, alkyl haUde) to generate a cationic intermediate and a Lewis acid complex counterion. 

The most important reaction with Lewis acids such as boron trifluoride etherate is polymerization (Scheme 30) (72MI50601). Other Lewis acids have been used SnCL, Bu 2A1C1, Bu sAl, Et2Zn, SO3, PFs, TiCU, AICI3, Pd(II) and Pt(II) salts. Trialkylaluminum, dialkylzinc and other alkyl metal initiators may partially hydrolyze to catalyze the polymerization by an anionic mechanism rather than the cationic one illustrated in Scheme 30. Cyclic dimers and trimers are often products of cationic polymerization reactions, and desulfurization of the monomer may occur. Polymerization of optically active thiiranes yields optically active polymers (75MI50600). 

The initiation reaction in the polymerization of vinyl ethers by BF3R20 (R20 = various dialkyl ethers and tetrahydrofuran) was shown by Eley to involve an alkyl ion from the dialkyl ether, which therefore acts as a (necessary) co-catalyst [35, 67]. This initiation by an alkyl ion from a BF3-ether complex means that the alkyl vinyl ethers are so much more basic than the mono-olefins, that they can abstract alkylium ions from the boron fluoride etherate. This difference in basicity is also illustrated by the observations that triethoxonium fluoroborate, Et30+BF4", will not polymerise isobutene [68] but polymerises w-butyl vinyl ether instantaneously [69]. It was also shown [67] that in an extremely dry system boron fluoride will not catalyse the polymerization of alkyl vinyl ethers in hydrocarbons thus, an earlier suggestion that an alkyl vinyl ether might act as its own co-catalyst [30] was shown to be invalid, at least under these conditions. 

Allenylboranes can be prepared by treatment of propargylic acetates with butyl-lithium and a trialkylborane [19]. The reaction proceeds by initial formation of an alkynylboronate followed by migration of an alkyl group from boron to carbon (Eq. 9.17). 

The acidic/basic properties of zeolites can be changed by introdnction of B, In, Ga elements into the crystal framework. For example, a coincorporation of alnminnm and boron in the zeolite lattice has revealed weak acidity for boron-associated sites [246] in boron-snbstitnted ZSM5 and ZSMll zeolites. Ammonia adsorption microcalorimetry gave initial heats of adsorption of abont 65 kJ/mol for H-B-ZSMll and showed that B-substituted pentasils have only very weak acidity [247]. Calcination at 800°C increased the heats of NH3 adsorption to about 170 kJ/mol by creation of strong Lewis acid sites as it can be seen in Figure 13.13. The lack of strong Brpnsted acid sites in H-B-ZSMll was confirmed by poor catalytic activity in methanol conversion and in toluene alkylation with methanol. 

In the initial discovery of the asymmetric synthesis of a-chloro boronic esters 3, the diastereomeric ratios of 3 were estimated by reaction with Grignard reagents to form secondary alkyl boronic esters 5 and deboronation with hydrogen peroxide to secondary alcohols of known absolute configuration and rotation40. 

The same regiochemistry is observed when nitroimidazole (48-2, 48-3) acts as a nucleophile in unionized form. Thus, the reaction of a compound with benzoyl-aziridine (49-1) in the presence of boron trifluoride probably involves an initial salt formation with an amide attack by the imidazole results in a ring opening and the formation of the alkylated product (49-2) the free primary amine (49-3) is obtained on basic hydrolysis. Acylation of the primary amine with methyl thiochloroformate gives the corresponding thiourethane, carnidazole (49-4) [52]. 

High polymers are generally obtained on treatment with Lewis acids at low temperatures in an inert solvent. Boron trifluoride and boron trifluoride etherate are the most widely used catalysts, but a small amount of water must be present, which is termed a promoter triethylaluminum and triisobutylaluminum are also useful initiators and are generally used with addition of water. Alkylating agents, such as ethyl triflate, triethyloxonium tetrafluoro-borate and hexafluorophosphite, and 2-methyl-l,3-dioxolenium perchlorate, are also effective initiators (76MI51301,72MI51304). 

At low temperatures in inert solvents (such as methylene dichloride) a controlled polymerization can be effected using various acids and alkylating agents. These initiators include boron trifluoride etherate, triethylaluminum, trityl hexachloroantimonate, triethylam-monium hexachloroantimonate, diethyloxonium hexafluoroantimonate, p-toluenesulfonic acid and diethylzinc or cadmium-1,2-dioI complexes. Crystalline, high molecular weight... 

The early developments in the chemistry of boron hydrides and aluminum alkyls quickly led to the realization that these species did not conform to the accepted theories of bonding, but required the development of new concepts that could account for the dimeric or polymeric nature of these derivatives. These concepts, were initially provided in a number of papers by Mulliken (88), Longuet-Higgins (70), Pitzer (93), Pitzer and Gutowsky (94), and Rundle (97, 98). Much of this work has been summarized recently in books by Wade (118), by Lipscomb (69),... 

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