Metathesis, alkene olefin polymerization

The most relevant catalytic reactions approached by SOMC are olefin polymerization (and depolymerization), alkane activation (including a new reaction, discovered thanks to SOMC-alkane metathesis), alkene metathesis and epoxidation. All these reactions are discussed in this chapter. 

We note that there are NMR-based kinetic studies on zirconocene-catalyzed pro-pene polymerization [32], Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of olefins [33], titanocene-catalyzed hydroboration of alkenes and alkynes [34], Pd-catalyzed olefin polymerizations [35], ethylene and CO copolymerization [36] and phosphine dissociation from a Ru-carbene metathesis catalyst [37], just to mention a few. 

Figure 3.38. Mechanism of olefin metathesis and strategies for the cleavage of alkenes from polymeric supports by olefin metathesis.

Olefin additions to bridging alkylidenes yield dimetallacyclopentanes . These reactions also provide a mechanism for olefin metathesis, a topic not discussed here. Although addition of an olefin to a metal carbone, a 2n + In addition, would be symmetry forbidden in organic chemistry, ab initio calculations " of the conversion of a metal carbene-alkene to a metallocyclobutane show it to be a barrierless reaction. Metal d orbitals relax the symmetry restrictions for the In + 2n addition. The mechanism of reaction (p) has not been widely considered for the olefin polymerization, but it may be relevant to olefin dimerization and oligomerization—reaction (s), for example ... 

Structures 25.55 (Grubbs catalyst) and 25.56 (a complex developed by Schrock) show two important carbene compounds that are used as catalysts in alkene olefin) metathesis, i.e. metal-catalysed reactions in which C=C bonds are redistributed. Examples include ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and ring-closing metathesis (RCM). We look at these reactions in detail in Section 26.3. 

As with other transition metal-catalyzed reactions (Ziegler-Natta polymerization of alkenes, olefin metathesis), the mechanism of the Heck reaction is complicated. In brief, the species that reacts with the aryl halide is I Pd, where L is a ligand such as tiiphenylphosphine. By a process known as oxidative addition, palladium inserts into the carbon-halogen bond of the aryl halide. 

The metathesis and polymerization of alkenes (olefins) and alkynes (acetylenes) (Eqs 7.3 and 7.4) is of considerable industrial importance, and much research has been devoted to Ihe synthesis of transition metal catalysts. 

As stated above, olefin metathesis is in principle reversible, because all steps of the catalytic cycle are reversible. In preparatively useful transformations, the equilibrium is shifted to one side. This is most commonly achieved by removal of a volatile alkene, mostly ethene, from the reaction mixture. An obvious and well-established way to classify olefin metathesis reactions is depicted in Scheme 2. Depending on the structure of the olefin, metathesis may occur either inter- or intramolecularly. Intermolecular metathesis of two alkenes is called cross metathesis (CM) (if the two alkenes are identical, as in the case of the Phillips triolefin process, the term self metathesis is sometimes used). The intermolecular metathesis of an a,co-diene leads to polymeric structures and ethene this mode of metathesis is called acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET). Intramolecular metathesis of these substrates gives cycloalkenes and ethene (ring-closing metathesis, RCM) the reverse reaction is the cleavage of a cyclo-... 

Olefin metathesis (olefin disproportionation) is the reaction of two alkenes in which the redistribution of the olelinic bonds takes place with the aid of transition metal catalysts (Scheme 7.7). The reaction proceeds with an intermediate formation of a metallacyclobutene. This may either break down to provide two new olefins, or open up to generate a metal alkylidene species which -by multiple alkene insertion- may lead to formation of alkylidenes with a polymeric moiety [21]. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) is the reaction of cyclic olefins in which backbone-unsaturated polymers are obtained. The driving force of this process is obviously in the relief of the ring strain of the monomers. 

Both W(CO)5[C(C6Hs)2] and the analogous di-p-tolylmethylene complex have been used in model studies of the olefin metathesis reaction.2 3 In contrast to heteroatom-stabilized carbene complexes such as W(CO)s [C(OCH3)(C6Hs)], pentacarbonyl(diphenylmethylene)tungsten(0) reacts with alkenes to give cyclopropanes and 1,1-diphenylalkenes.2 The compound W(CO)5 [C(C6H5)2] is the best reported catalyst for the metathetical polymerization of 1-methylcyclo-butene.4... 

The alkene metathesis reaction arose serendipitously from the exploration of transition-metal-catalysed alkene polymerisation. Due to the complexity of the polymeric products, the metathetic nature of the reaction seems to have been overlooked in early reports. However, in 1964, Banks and Bailey reported on what was described as the olefin disproportionation of acyclic alkenes where exchange was evident due to the monomeric nature of the products [8]. The reaction was actually a combination of isomerisation and metathesis, leading to complex mixtures, but by 1966 Calderon and co-workers had reported on the preparation of a homogeneous W/Al-based catalyst system that effected extraordinarily rapid alkylidene... 

Mechanism 8-10 Acid-Catalyzed Opening of Epoxides 362 8-14 Syn Dihydroxylation of Alkenes 364 8-15 Oxidative Cleavage of Alkenes 366 8-16 Polymerization of Alkenes 369 8-17 Olefin Metathesis 373... 

Phosphine-modified cobalt hydroformylation is only used commercially by Shell. It is tightly coupled to Shell s Higher Olefins Process (SHOP, see Metathesis Polymerization Processes by Homogeneous Catalysis) that produces a C4 through C20 mixture of linear, internal alkenes for hydroformylation to detergent-grade alcohols. 

The alkene metathesis reaction see Alkene Metathesis) exchanges alkylidene groups between different alkenes, and is catalyzed by a variety of high oxidation state, early transition metal species (equation 40). The reaction is of interest because it is the strongest bond in the alkene, the C=C bond, that is broken during the reaction. It is also commercially important in the Shell higher olefins process and in the polymerization of cycloalkenes. It is relevant to this article because carbenes are the key intermediates, and the best-known catalyst, (1), is a carbene complex. 

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (Problem 26.28) An olefin metathesis reaction that forms a high molecular weight polymer from certain cyclic alkenes. 

Weiss and co-workers reported a series of papers on the use of alkylidyne complexes as precursors for olefin metathesis catalysts. W(CCMe3)-Cl3(dme) was found to initiate ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclopentene [Eq. (209)] and metathesis of -hexene as well as other 1-alkenes 203.204). The rate of metathesis is slowed down by branching... 

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