1.5-Hexadiene with metallocene catalysts

Stereoregular Cyclopolymerization of 1, 5-Hexadiene with Metallocene Catalysts... 

Figure 3.49 Diastereoselectivity of the cyclisation step in the cyclopolymerisation of 1,5-hexadiene with metallocene-based catalysts...

With metallocene catalysts, not only homopolymers such as polyethylene or polypropylene can be synthesized but also many kinds of copolymers and elastomers, copolymers of cyclic olefins, polyolefin covered metal powders and inorganic fillers, oligomeric optically active hydrocarbons [20-25]. In addition, metallocene complexes represent a new class of catalysts for the cyclopolymerization of 1,5- and 1,6-dienes [26]. The enantio-selective cyclopolymerization of 1,5-hexadiene yields an optically active polymer whose chirality derives from its main chain stereochemistry. 

Results of 1,5-Hexadiene Polymerization with Metallocene Catalysts 2b, 4b, and 7... 

Dienes are less reactive toward transition metals than enynes and diynes, and perhaps for this reason, the development of effective catalyst systems for the cyclization/hydrosilylation of dienes lagged behind development of the corresponding procedures for enynes and diynes. The transition metal-catalyzed cyclization/hydrosilylation of dienes was first demonstrated by Tanaka and co-workers in 1994. Reaction of 1,5-hexadiene with phenyl-silane catalyzed by the highly electrophilic neodymium metallocene complex Cp 2NdCH(SiMe2)3 (1 mol%) in benzene at room temperature for 3 h led to 5- ///76 -cyclization and isolation of (cyclopentylmethyl)phenylsilane in 84% yield (Equation (15)). In comparison, neodymium-catalyzed reaction of 1,6-heptadiene with phenylsilane led to 5- X(9-cyclization to form (2-methylcyclopentylmethyl)phenylsilane in 54% yield as an 85 15 mixture of trans. cis isomers (Equation (16)). 

Bercaw has investigated the application of the 6 2-symmetric, enantiomerically pure lanthanide metallocene derivative (i ,A)-BnBpYH 34 as a catalyst for the asymmetric cyclization/hydrosilylation of 1,5- and 1,6-dienes. Although 34 displayed high activity for the reaction of a number of dienes, asymmetric induction was low. In the best case, reaction of 3,3-dimethyl-1,5-hexadiene with phenylsilane catalyzed by 34 gave silylated cyclopentene 35 in 95% yield with 50% ee (Equation (25)). 

The polymerization tests with ethylene and 1-olefines as well as with dienes showed a good ability of the metallocene catalyst for copolymerization. Interesting results from practical and theoretical point of view could be gained in the copolymerization of ethylene and 1,5-hexadiene. During polymerization first a complexation of one of the double bonds of 1,5-hexadiene takes place at the vacant coordination side of the transition metal. After insertion into the polymer chain the complexation of the second double bond occurs followed by intramolecular cyclisation of the 5-membered ring. Analysis of the 13C-NMR spectra reveals an incorporation of 4.2 mole% 1,5-hexadiene and a predominance of trans rings caused by the diastereoselectivity of the cyclisation step. 

Of great industrial interest are the copolymers of ethene and propene with a molar ratio of 1/0.5, up to 1/2. These EP-polymers show elastic properties and, together with 2-5 wt% of dienes as third monomers, they are used as elastomers (EPDM). Since they have no double bonds in the backbone of the polymer, they are less sensitive to oxidation reactions. As dienes, ethylidenenorbomene, 1,4-hexadiene, and dicyclopentadiene are used. In most technical processes for the production of EP and EPDM rubber in the past, soluble or highly disposed vanadium components are used [69]. Similar elastomers can be obtained with metallocene/MAO catalysts by a much higher activity which are less colored [70-72]. The regiospecificity of the metallocene catalysts toward propene leads exclusively to the formation of head-to-tail enchainments. The ethylidenenor-bornene polymerizes via vinyl polymerization of the cyclic double bond and the tendency to branching is low. The molecular weight distribution of about 2 is narrow [73]. 

Some non-conjugated dienes, such as 1,5-hexadiene, 1,6-heptadiene, and 1,7-octadiene, polymerize in the presence of metallocene catalysts to give polymers with cyclic structures. The stereochemistry of the cyclic units involves cis and trans rings (Fig. 20). They also polymerize in a 1,2-manner, resulting in poly-... 

Recently, a metallocene/MAO system has been used for the polymerization of non-conjugated dienes [204, 205]. The cyclopolymerization of 1,5-hexadiene has been catalyzed by Zieger-Natta catalyst systems, but with low activity and incomplete cyclization in the formation 5-membered rings [206]. The cyclopolymerization of 1,5-hexadiene in the presence of ZrMe2Cp2/MAO afforded a polymer (Mw = 2.7 x 107, Mw/Mn = 2.2) whose NMR indicated that almost complete cyclization had taken place. One of the olefin units of 1,5-hexadiene is initially inserted into an M-C bond and then cyclization proceeds by further... 

Recent advances in the development of well-defined homogeneous metallocene-type catalysts have facilitated mechanistic studies of the processes involved in initiation, propagation, and chain transfer reactions occurring in olefins coordi-native polyaddition. As a result, end-functional polyolefin chains have been made available [103].For instance, Waymouth et al.have reported about the formation of hydroxy-terminated poly(methylene-l,3-cyclopentane) (PMCP-OH) via selective chain transfer to the aluminum atoms of methylaluminoxane (MAO) in the cyclopolymerization of 1,5-hexadiene catalyzed by di(pentameth-ylcyclopentadienyl) zirconium dichloride (Scheme 37). Subsequent equimolar reaction of the hydroxyl extremity with AlEt3 afforded an aluminum alkoxide macroinitiator for the coordinative ROP of sCL and consecutively a novel po-ly(MCP-b-CL) block copolymer [104]. The diblock structure of the copolymer... 

A new type of enantioselective diene polymerization is found with cyclopolymerization of 1,5-hexadiene which leads to polymers with a saturated chiral main chain28,58>109. As catalyst, (—)-(7 )-[l,T-ethylenebis(4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-l-indenyl)]zirconium (/ )-binaphtholate is used in the presence of methylalumoxane to give optically active poly(methylene-1,3-cyclopentane) (3) with 68% trans configuration in the five-membered ring (diisotacticity). If the (S)-enantiomer of the ansa-metallocene with (ft)-binaphthol is used as catalyst then the opposite rotation of the polymer is observed58. 

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