Isocyanates dimerization reactions

Oligomerization and Polymerization Reactions. One special feature of isocyanates is their propensity to dimerize and trimerize. Aromatic isocyanates, especially, are known to undergo these reactions in the absence of a catalyst. The dimerization product bears a strong dependency on both the reactivity and stmcture of the starting isocyanate. For example, aryl isocyanates dimerize, in the presence of phosphoms-based catalysts, by a crosswise addition to the C=N bond of the NCO group to yield a symmetrical dimer (15). 

Reportedly, simple alkyl isocyanates do not dimerize upon standing. They trimerize to isocyanurates under comparable reaction conditions (57). Aliphatic isocyanate dimers can, however, be synthesized via the phosgenation of A[,A[-disubstituted ureas to yield /V-(ch1orocarhony1)ch1oroformamidine iatermediates which are subsequendy converted by partial hydrolysis and base catalyzed cycUzation. This is also the method of choice for the synthesis of l-alkyl-3-aryl-l,3-diazetidiones (mixed dimers of aromatic and aUphatic isocyanates) (58). 

Dimerization is reportedly catalyzed by pyridine [110-86-1] and phosphines. Trialkylphosphines have been shown to catalyze the conversion of dimer iato trimer upon prolonged standing (2,57). Pyridines and other basic catalysts are less selective because the required iacrease ia temperature causes trimerization to compete with dimerization. The gradual conversion of dimer to trimer ia the catalyzed dimerization reaction can be explained by the assumption of equiUbria between dimer and polar catalyst—dimer iatermediates. The polar iatermediates react with excess isocyanate to yield trimer. Factors, such as charge stabilization ia the polar iatermediate and its lifetime or steric requirement, are reported to be important. For these reasons, it is not currently feasible to predict the efficiency of dimer formation given a particular catalyst. 

Isocyanates are capable of co-reacting to form dimers, oligomers and polymers. For example, aromatic isocyanates will readily dimerize when heated, although the presence of a substituent ortho to the -NCO group reduces this tendency. For example, toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is less susceptible to dimer formation than diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). The dimerization reaction is reversible, with dissociation being complete above 200 °C. It is unusual for aliphatic isocyanates to form dimers, but they will readily form trimers, as do aromatic isocyanates. The polymerization of aromatic isocyanates is known, but requires the use of metallic sodium in DMF. 

Heating of isocyanates above 150 °C slowly produces carbodiimides. For example, heating of hexamethylene diisocyanate at 189-195 °C for 20 hr produced 4-6 % of oligomeric isocyanate terminated carbodiimides, but in addition 18-20 % of isocyanate terminated isocyanurates were formed. The reaction is facilitated if a slow stream of nitrogen is passed through the boiling isocyanate. The unsymmetrical isocyanate dimer 47 was proposed as an intermediate in this transformation. 

A special technique of trimerization has been described by Kogon 24, 25). Phenyl isocyanate reacts with ethyl alcohol to form a urethane (ethyl carbanilate). At 125° a substantial yield of ethyl a,7-diphenyl allophanate is observed as well as a small amount of phenyl isocyanate dimer. However, when A-methyhnorpholine (NMM) is added as a catalyst, the reaction is altered and the product is triphenylisocyanurate (isocyanate trimer) in high yield. The reaction sequence is believed to be ... 

Isocyanate dimerization is an equilibrium reaction. Dissociation of the dimer occurs only at elevated temperatures (42). In the absence of catalysts, temperatures as high as 175 C are required to completely dissociate the dimer of 2,4-TDI, although initial dissociation was observed to occur at 150 C (43). The preparation of aliphatic isocyanate dimers has also been reported (44). 

Dihydro-2//-l,3,5-thiadiazines containing a ring carbonyl or thiocarbonyl group are synthesized from reaction of thioamides with phenoxycarbonyl isocyanate, dimerization of thiocarbamoylisothiocyanates, or dimerization of carbamoyl isocyanates. The latter two [4-1-2] cycloaddition reactions complement the tabulated list of dienes and dienophiles presented in Table 2 (Section 9.09.9.2). 3,6-Disubstituted-3,4-dihydro-2//-l,3,5-thiadiazines are synthesized by treatment of N-substituted A, Wbis(l//-l,2,3-benzotriazol-l-ylmethyl)-amines with thioamides and zinc bromide (Section 9.09.9.1.3). 

The reaction of the difluoro compound CXXI with KOCN yields the isocyanate dimer CXXII and l,2-bis(dialkylamino)-l,2-diisocyanatoethylene (CXXIII) ( ). 

Aryl isocyanates readily polymerize in the presence of catalysts into dimers containing 2 moles of the monomeric isocyanate. The reaction and structure is generally considered to be ... 

Some isocyanates also react with themselves to form thermally reversible dimer structures, the so-called uretidinediones. Such self reaction is apparently confined to aromatic isocyanates, and is illustrated with phenyl isocyanate in Fig. 8.4. The dimerization reaction is catalyzed vigorously by trialkyl phosphines and less by tertiary amines such as pyridine. 

Isocyanates undergo dimerization reactions by a [2+2] cycloaddition across their C=N bonds to give diazetidinediones 3. The isomeric unsymmetrical dimers have never been isolated but they are postulated to be intermediates in the formation of carbodiimides from isocyanates. The isocyanate dimers usually dissociate back to the monomers on heating. Therefore, they are considered to be masked isocyanates. The dimerization of isocyanates requires the use of a base or a Lewis acid as a catalyst, and often isocyanate trimers are formed as coproducts. 

Aliphatic isocyanate dimers are not common, and usually low yields are obtained in their dimerization reactions. An exception is the use of 1,2-dimethylimidazol as a catalyst for the dimerization of benzyl isocyanates, which provides the cyclodimers in good yields (see Table 3.1). In the benzyl isocyanate dimerization benzyl isocyanate trimers are also formed as coproducts, and when the reaction is conducted for more than 16 h at room temperature the dimers are slowly converted to trimers. The structure of the catalyst is of importance, as shown in Table 3.1. A slight change in the substituents of the heterocyclic carbene catalyst affords either a 64 % yield of cyclohexyl isocyanate dimer or a 100 % yield... 

Also, intramolecular dimerization reactions of carbodiimides are known. For example, the dicarbodiimide 17 (R = H, Ph), generated from the corresponding bis(iminophospho-ranes) and two equivalents of an aromatic isocyanate, undergoes an intramolecular dimerization reaction to give the tricyclic cyclodimers 18 in 50-61 % yield... 

Cycloadditions The [4+2] cycloaddition reactions of carbodiimides with phenyl-carbonyl isocyanate, phenylcarbonyl isothiocyanate and thiocarbamoyl isothiocyanate have been discussed above. In the dimerization reactions the functional carbodiimides react as both the diene and the dienophile. Unsaturated carbodiimides, generated in situ, can be trapped with N=N bond- or C=N bond-containing substrates. 

Pd-cataly2ed reactions of butadiene are different from those catalyzed by other transition metal complexes. Unlike Ni(0) catalysts, neither the well known cyclodimerization nor cyclotrimerization to form COD or CDT[1,2] takes place with Pd(0) catalysts. Pd(0) complexes catalyze two important reactions of conjugated dienes[3,4]. The first type is linear dimerization. The most characteristic and useful reaction of butadiene catalyzed by Pd(0) is dimerization with incorporation of nucleophiles. The bis-rr-allylpalladium complex 3 is believed to be an intermediate of 1,3,7-octatriene (7j and telomers 5 and 6[5,6]. The complex 3 is the resonance form of 2,5-divinylpalladacyclopentane (1) and pallada-3,7-cyclononadiene (2) formed by the oxidative cyclization of butadiene. The second reaction characteristic of Pd is the co-cyclization of butadiene with C = 0 bonds of aldehydes[7-9] and CO jlO] and C = N bonds of Schiff bases[ll] and isocyanate[12] to form the six-membered heterocyclic compounds 9 with two vinyl groups. The cyclization is explained by the insertion of these unsaturated bonds into the complex 1 to generate 8 and its reductive elimination to give 9. 

Commercially, polymeric MDI is trimerized duting the manufacture of rigid foam to provide improved thermal stabiUty and flammabiUty performance. Numerous catalysts are known to promote the reaction. Tertiary amines and alkaU salts of carboxyUc acids are among the most effective. The common step ia all catalyzed trimerizations is the activatioa of the C=N double boad of the isocyanate group. The example (18) highlights the alkoxide assisted formation of the cycHc dimer and the importance of the subsequent iatermediates. Similar oligomerization steps have beea described previously for other catalysts (61). 

The dimeric tellurium diimide 10.7 undergoes a cycloaddition reaction with BuNCO to generate the Ai,iV -ureatotellurium imide 10.11, which is converted to the corresponding telluroxide 10.12 by reaction with excess BuNCO. " By contrast, BuN=S=N Bu undergoes exchange reactions with isocyanates. 

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