Alkenes, metal

NMR spectra show the ethene molecules to undergo a propeller type rotation about the metal-alkene axis the fluxionality is removed on cooling such rotation is not observed with coordinated C2F4, indicating a higher barrier to rotation, in keeping with the stronger Rh—C bonds [66]. 

Conjugated dienes can be dimerized or trimerized at their 1,4 positions (formally, [4 4- 4] and [4 4-4 4-4] cycloadditions) by treatment with certain complexes or other transition metal compounds. " Thus butadiene gives 1,5-cyclooctadiene and 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene. " The relative amount of each product can be controlled by use of the proper catalyst. For example, Ni P(OC6H4—o-Ph)3 gives predominant dimerization, while Ni(cyclooctadiene)2 gives mostly trimerization. The products arise, not by direct 1,4 to 1,4 attack, but by stepwise mechanisms involving metal-alkene complexes. " ... 

The vacant orbital in 16e -zirconocene(IV) complexes allows a Ji-interaction with an incoming alkene or aUcyne. However no metal— alkene/alkyne backbonding is possible with the d°-Zr-metal center. As a consequence, the metal-olefin interaction is not stabilized, and formation of the thermodynamically favored o-bound organozirconocene complex (>10 kcal/mol) is then observed [36]. The product is the result of an overall cis addition of the zirconocene metal fragment and the hydrogen across the carbon-carbon multiple bonds. 

Stable transition-metal-alkene complexes can be obtained readily from their salts and alkenes in water.141... 

Note that although it may be possible for metal atoms to form a cr-complex with an alkane prior to insertion into a C-H bond, such complexes would be bound by only a few kcal/mol (comparable to dispersion forces), while metal-alkene 7r-complexes are typically bound by 20-60 kcal/mol. 

As a typical case, olefin-metal complexation is described first. Alkene complexes of d° transition metals or ions have no d-electron available for the 7i-back donation, and thus their metal-alkene bonding is too weak for them to be isolated and characterized. One exception is CpfYCH2CH2C(CH3)2CH=CH2 (1), in which an intramolecular bonding interaction between a terminal olefinic moiety and a metal center is observed. However, this complex is thermally unstable above — 50 °C [11]. The MO calculation proves the presence of the weak metal-alkene bonding during the propagation step of the olefin polymerization [12,13]. 

It is important to realize that there is a great deal of overlap in the topics covered in this chapter. For example, the chemistry of metal carbonyls is intimately related to metal alkene complexes, because both types of ligands are soft bases and many complexes contain both carbonyl and alkene ligands. Also, both areas are closely associated with catalysis by complexes discussed in Chapter 22, because some of the best-known catalysts are metal carbonyls and they involve reactions of alkenes. Therefore, the separation of topics applied is certainly not a clear one. Catalysis by metal complexes embodies much of the chemistry of both metal carbonyls and metal alkene complexes. 

Probably the first metal alkene complex was Zeise s salt, K[Pt(C2H4)Cl3] or the bridged compound [PtCl2(C2H4)]2. These compounds were first prepared by Zeise in about 1825. The palladium analogs of these compounds are also now known. A large number of metal alkene complexes are known, and some of the chemistry of these materials will be described here. 

A number of synthetic methods are useful for preparing metal alkene complexes. A few of the more general ones will be described here, but the suggested readings given at the end of the chapter should be consulted for more details. 

Being hybrid fields between organic and inorganic chemistry, the chemistries of metal alkene complexes and organometallic compounds have developed at a rapid rate. There is no doubt that this type of chemistry will be the focus of a great deal of research for some time to come. 

For (XX), L py, it is likely that the major reaction path involves initial skeletal isomerization to give (XXI) followed by rapid solvolysis of this isomer. The solvolysis of this isomer is strongly metal-assisted since the intermediate carbonium ion is stabilised by the metal-alkene resonance form as shown in the Scheme. The product is the 1-D2 isomer. Now, the skeletal isomerization of (XX) is expected to be retarded by free pyridine and cannot occur when L2 = 2,2 -bipyridyl C7). Hence under these conditions the reaction must occur by solvolysis of (XX) giving largely the 3-D2 isomer. However, the product formed under these conditions is still about 30% of the 1-D2 isomer (Table I). 

Natural resonance theory (Section 1.6) provides a quantitative gauge of the contributions of various resonance structures to the total electronic density. The results are shown in Table 4.41 demonstrating the remarkable intermediacy in the nature of metal-alkene interaction relating metallacycle, nonbonded, and carbanion-type resonance forms. 

Asymmetry in metal-alkene coordination plays a critical role in asymmetric catalysis, with implications far beyond the scope of the present treatment. An instructive example is provided by catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of enamides,... 

Figure 4.79 displays the optimized structures of secondary-Cp (IIsec) and primary-Cp(IIPri) complexes, and Table 4.43 includes geometrical and charge parameters of these propylene complexes for comparison with those of the corresponding ethylene complex in Table 4.42. The IIsec complex can be seen to have smaller Ti—Cp metal-alkene separation (by 0.1 A) and other evidence of tighter metal-alkene binding than that in the IIpri complex, in accordance with the donor-acceptor stabilizations discussed above. 

Metal-alkene complex formation was also necessary, but again was not ratedetermining. 

The aforementioned observations have significant mechanistic implications. As illustrated in Eqs. 6.2—6.4, in the chemistry of zirconocene—alkene complexes derived from longer chain alkylmagnesium halides, several additional selectivity issues present themselves. (1) The derived transition metal—alkene complex can exist in two diastereomeric forms, exemplified in Eqs. 6.2 and 6.3 by (R)-8 anti and syn reaction through these stereoisomeric complexes can lead to the formation of different product diastereomers (compare Eqs. 6.2 and 6.3, or Eqs. 6.3 and 6.4). The data in Table 6.2 indicate that the mode of addition shown in Eq. 6.2 is preferred. (2) As illustrated in Eqs. 6.3 and 6.4, the carbomagnesation process can afford either the n-alkyl or the branched product. Alkene substrate insertion from the more substituted front of the zirconocene—alkene system affords the branched isomer (Eq. 6.3), whereas reaction from the less substituted end of the (ebthi)Zr—alkene system leads to the formation of the straight-chain product (Eq. 6.4). The results shown in Table 6.2 indicate that, depending on the reaction conditions, products derived from the two isomeric metallacyclopentane formations can be formed competitively. 

ACETYLENIC COMPOUNDS, ALKALI METALS ALKENES, ALKYNES BENZYL COMPOUNDS, DIENES HALOALKENES, OXIMES... 

CO adsorption, 28 8 metal-alkene surfaces, 29 85-86 metal oxide surfaces, 29 55-92 oxide surface, 28 26 solid surfaces, 29 55-92 surface chemistry, 29 55-92 yield, chemisorbed layer, 29 59-62 factors affecting yield, 29 61 Photoemission... 

Having generated suitable (partially) cationic, Lewis acidic metal centers, several factors need to be considered to understand the progress of the alkene polymerisation reaction the coordination of the monomer, and the role (if any) of the counteranion on catalyst activity and, possibly, on the stereoselectivity of monomer enchainment. Since in d° metal systems there is no back-bonding, the formation of alkene complexes relies entirely on the rather weak donor properties of these ligands. In catalytic systems complexes of the type [L2M(R) (alkene)] cannot be detected and constitute structures more closely related to the transition state rather than intermediates or resting states. Information about metal-alkene interactions, bond distances and energetics comes from model studies and a combination of spectroscopic and kinetic techniques. 

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