Early transition-metal catalysts

The mechanistic similarity between Ziegler-Natta polymerization of olefins and the alkene cyclization reactions described above suggested that early transition metal catalysts would be effective catalysts for the coupling of... 

Organometallic complexes of the /-elements have been reported that will perform both intra-and intermolecular hydroamination reactions of alkenes and alkynes, although these lie outside of the scope of this review.149-155 Early transition metal catalysts are not very common, although a number of organometallic systems exist.156-158 In these and other cases, the intermediacy of a metal imido complex LnM=NR was proposed.159,160 Such a species has recently been isolated (53) and used as a direct catalyst precursor for N-H addition to alkynes and allenes (Scheme 35).161,162... 

The inter- and intramolecular catalytic reductive couplings of alkynes and aldehydes recently have experienced rapid growth and are the topic of several recent reviews.5 h-8k 107 With respect to early transition metal catalysts, there exists a single example of the catalytic reductive cyclization of an acetylenic aldehyde, which involves the titanocene-catalyzed conversion of 77a to ethylidene cyclopentane 77b mediated by (EtO)3SiH.80 This process is restricted to terminally substituted alkyne partners (Scheme 53). 

In hydrogenation, early transition-metal catalysts are mainly based on metallocene complexes, and particularly the Group IV metallocenes. Nonetheless, Group III, lanthanide and even actinide complexes as well as later metals (Groups V-VII) have also been used. The active species can be stabilized by other bulky ligands such as those derived from 2,6-disubstituted phenols (aryl-oxy) or silica (siloxy) (vide infra). Moreover, the catalytic activity of these systems is not limited to the hydrogenation of alkenes, but can be used for the hydrogenation of aromatics, alkynes and imines. These systems have also been developed very successfully into their enantioselective versions. 

Harrod-type catalytic dehydrocoupling method using early transition metal catalysts (see COMC II (1995), chapter Organopolysilanes, p 99, and earlier in this review, Section 3.11.4.1.3. (i)).69,75 Si-H bonds are susceptible to free radical attack, and use of this was made in the free radical substitution of 38 to prepare a number of oxy-functionalized polysilanes, as shown in Scheme 25.185,186... 

Olefin Polymerization by Early Transition Metal Catalysts... 

The last results described are a strong indication that any computer modeling of the activity of early transition metal catalysts for the polymerization of olefins probably requires the inclusion of the counterion in the simulations. 

As mentioned in the introduction, early transition metal complexes are also able to catalyze hydroboration reactions. Reported examples include mainly metallocene complexes of lanthanide, titanium and niobium metals [8, 15, 29]. Unlike the Wilkinson catalysts, these early transition metal catalysts have been reported to give exclusively anti-Markonikov products. The unique feature in giving exclusively anti-Markonikov products has been attributed to the different reaction mechanism associated with these catalysts. The hydroboration reactions catalyzed by these early transition metal complexes are believed to proceed with a o-bond metathesis mechanism (Figure 2). In contrast to the associative and dissociative mechanisms discussed for the Wilkinson catalysts in which HBR2 is oxidatively added to the metal center, the reaction mechanism associated with the early transition metal complexes involves a a-bond metathesis step between the coordinated olefin ligand and the incoming borane (Figure 2). The preference for a o-bond metathesis instead of an oxidative addition can be traced to the difficulty of further oxidation at the metal center because early transition metals have fewer d electrons. 

In contrast to the free-radical polymerizations, there have been relatively few studies on transition metal catalysed polymerization reactions in water. This is largely due to the fact that the early transition metal catalysts used commercially for the polymerization of olefins tend to be very water-sensitive. However, with the development of late transition metal catalysts for olefin polymerizations, water is beginning to be exploited as a medium for this type of polymerization reaction. For example, cationic Pd(II)-bisphosphine complexes have been found to be active catalysts for olefin-CO copolymerization [21]. Solubility of the catalyst in water is achieved by using a sulfonated phosphine ligand (Figure 10.5) as described in Chapter 5. 

The detailed kinetics determine how this happens precisely. We don t know whether the complexation reaction or the insertion reaction is rate-determining. Theoretical work on insertion reactions of early-transition metal catalysts indicates that the complexation is rate determining and that the migration reaction has a very low barrier of activation. If the complexation is irreversible, it also determines the enantioselectivity. 

Allylic alcohols can also be epoxidized with methyltrioxorhenium (MTO). However, in contrast to the early transition metal catalysts, metal-alcoholate binding does not appear to be operative, but rather straightforward hydrogen bonding, as demonstrated by the epoxidation of geraniol (20)... 

Regarding the co-polymerization of hydrocarbon and polar monomers, late transition metal catalysts have provided the most significant advances to date because of their lower oxophilicity and thus greater functional-group tolerance than early transition metal catalysts, although group 4 metallocene catalysts are known to promote the co-polymer-ization of olefins and non-vinyl polar monomers with masked functional groups. 

A similar problem was encountered by the ROMP of a borane substituted cyclooctene with an early transition metal catalyst followed by oxidation to yield an alcohol-functionalized linear polymer (32). 

Harrod s preliminary suggestions for the dehydrocoupling of hydrosilanes by early transition metal catalysts involved the formation of metal-silylene intermediates, Cp2M=SiRR [138a]. The most plausible mechanism for the condensation reaction, however, has been presented elegantly by Tilley and co-work-ers [144] and involves ff-bond metathesis from M-H species generated from the catalyst precursor. 

Not only palladium, but many more non-metallocene late (and early) transition metal catalysts for the coordination polymerization of ethene and 1-olefins were reported [11]. Among the most significant findings in this area are the disclosures of novel highly active and versatile catalysts based on (i) bidentate diimine [N,N] nickel and palladium complexes [12], (ii) tridentate 2,6-bis(imino)pyridyl [N,N,N] iron and cobalt complexes [13], and (iii) bidentate salicyl imine [N,O] nickel complexes [14]. 

Early transition metal catalysts such as vanadium complexes and zirconocenes effectively copolymerize ethene with norbornene [81]. This capabihty eventually led to the commercial development of the APEL and TOPAS line of cyclic olefin copolymers by Mitsui and Ticona (formerly Hoechst), respectively [82]. Interest in this class of polymers is due to its high glass transition temperatures and transparency that is imparted by the norbornene component. 

Finally, the ethylene/norbornene copolymers obtained using the nickel catalysts are essentially indistinguishable from those obtained using metaUocene-based early transition metal catalysts, both in terms of the microstructure and such physical properties as Tg and tensile modulus. For the ethylene/norbornene polymers synthesized, the glass transition temperature (Tg) increases smoothly with increasing norbornene content. 

Very recently, an aqueous olefin polymerization using an early transition metal catalyst has also been reported [84]. A toluene solution of styrene is prepolymerized briefly by a catalyst prepared by combination of [(CsMesjTifOMe),] with a borate and an aluminum-alkyl as activators. The reaction mixture is then emulsified in water, where further polymerization occurs to form syndiotactic polystyrene stereoselectively. It is assumed that the catalyst is contained in emulsified droplets and is thus protected from water, with the formation of crystalline polymer enhancing this effect. Cationic or neutral surfactants were found to be suitable, whereas anionic surfactants deactivated the catalyst. The crystalline polystyrene formed was reported to precipitate from the reaction mixture as relatively large particles (500 pm). 

Transition metal catalysts from across the periodic table have been investigated for this transformation. [56b, 57] Early transition metal catalysts [58] are of particular interest due to their high reactivities, with reduced air and moisture sensitivity compared with the rare earth metal systems, and lower cost and toxicity compared with the late transition metal catalysts. The A,0-ligands generating tight four-membered metallacycles described above have been studied as precatalysts for hydroamination methodologies that display promising substrate scope and reactivity. 

Zirconium Catalysts Early transition metal catalysts are rarely used for C—H functionalization. Tsuchimoto et al. reported the first example of a Zr-catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction of lactams with heterocyclic arenes (Equation 11.39) [78]. The reactions show a high turnover number (TON) and high regioselectivity. Significantly, the coupling reactions can be carried out under atmospheric oxygen. This instructive study opens the window for the application of early transition metal catalysts in C—H functionalization. 

Alkene polymerization in an aqueous system using an early transition metal catalyst has also been reported [27]. A toluene solution of styrene is prepolymerized briefly by a catalyst prepared by combination of [(C5Me5)Ti(OMe)3] with a borate and an aluminum alkyl as activators. The reaction mixture is then emulsified in... 

Higher oligomers are obtained by the dehydrogenative coupling of primary silanes by early transition-metal catalysts of the type Cp2MR2 (M = Ti, Zr R=alkyl), as shown in equation 10688 89,293 297. The R group in the primary silane can be aryl or alkyl. 

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