Polymerization copper triflate

Copper The catalytic activity of copper(II) triflate for cyclizations of alkenols or intermolecular additions of alcohols and carboxylic acids to norbomene has been reported [62, 63]. In dioxane at 80°C, high conversions were achieved at prolonged reaction times, and those were superior to those obtained with Lewis acids such as Yb(OTf)3, though the latter also displayed catalytic activity [62]. In a control experiment with triflic acid (10 mol%) only little product (29%) resulted with low stereoselectivity. However, it is now clear that this control experiment was flawed, as too much triflic acid and overly long reaction times had been applied. The previously mentioned study by Carpentier and coworkers on copper triflate catalyzed hydroaUcoxylations has established that Cu(OTf)2 decomposes to CuOTf and triflic acid when heated in organic solvents [50]. Triflic acid is catalytically active in hydroaUcoxylation at levels down to 0.1 mol%, if a polymerization inhibitor is present to prevent consumption of the olefinic substrate. Indeed, Cu (OTf)2 is an excellent reagent for releasing small amounts of triflic acid in this case, because the coreleased CuOTf acts as polymerization inhibitor for the acrylic substrate (Scheme 12) [50]. Other metal triflates like Sc(OTf)3 or Yb(OTf)3 displayed catalytic activity at the 1 mol% level in the reaction of Scheme 12. Additional experiments were presented to support the conclusion that triflic acid is the actual catalyst in this and other Lewis acid catalyzed hydroalkoxylations [50]. 

Copper triflate is an efficient catalyst in the cationic polymerization of styrene. However, its grafting onto a silica surface enhanced the overall reactivity of the catalyst providing faster conversions and polymers with higher molecular weight [98]. Only little leaching of species from the supported catalyst was reported. The initiation with Cu(OTl)2-silica catalyst occurs via a catalyst/cocatalyst process between the Lewis acid species and mostly the water present in the system. The latter originated from both the hydration water molecules of Cu(OTf)2 and the adventitious moisture. The surface silanol groups of the catalyst and the physisorbed solvent (methanol) from the catalyst preparation were also mentioned to play a cocatalytic role [98]. 

Copper(II) triflate has also been used for the carbenoid cyclopropanation reaction of simple olefins like cyclohexene, 2-methylpropene, cis- or rran.y-2-butene and norbomene with vinyldiazomethane 2 26,27). Although the yields were low (20-38 %), this catalyst is far superior to other copper salts and chelates except for copper(II) hexafluoroacetylaeetonate [Cu(hfacac)2], which exhibits similar efficiency. However, highly nucleophilic vinyl ethers, such as dihydropyran and dihydrofuran cannot be cyclopropanated as they rapidly polymerize on contact with Cu(OTf)2. With these substrates, copper(II) trifluoroacetate or copper(II) hexafluoroacetylaeetonate have to be used. The vinylcyclopropanation is stereospecific with cis- and rra s-2-butene. The 7-vinylbicyclo[4.1.0]heptanes formed from cyclohexene are obtained with the same exo/endo ratio in both the Cu(OTf)2 and Cu(hfacac)2 catalyzed reaction. The... 

Although copper reagents, hahdes and triflates, are widely used in atom-transfer polymerization reactions (ATRP) [63], these processes do not fall under the category of Lewis acid-mediated reactions. Sherrington and co-workers have shown that a vinyl monomer coordinated to a chiral copper Lewis acid (122) undergoes stereoselective polymerization (Sch. 29) [64]. A chiral block-copolymer 124 was prepared under radical conditions. 

Ethyl diazoacetate (228 mg, 2.0 mmol) was added at a controlled rate over a 6-8 h period to a stirred mixture of the alkene (20.0 mmol) or diene (10.0 mmol) and the catalyst (0.01 -0,02 mmol) under and ordinarily at 25 C. For copper(I) triflate catalyzed reactions with enol ethers, the diazo ester dissolved in the enol ether w as added to copper(II) triflate in EtjO in order to minimize polymerization of the enol ether. Alkenes were generally purified by distillation prior to their use. The initial solubility of the transition metal compound was dependent on the alkene employed, and, with the exception of Rhg(CO)jg, bis(acetylacetonato)copper(II), and copper bronze, homogeneous solutions were obtained prior to or immediately after the initial addition of ethyl diazoacetate. 1 h after addition was complete, EtjO was added, the resulting solution was washed twice with sat. aq NaHC03 dried (MgSOJ. EtjO and excess alkene were distilled under reduced pressure. The desired cyclopropanes were obtained either by fractional bulb-to-bulb distillation or by preparative GC (Table 8). 

Enantioselective Radical Polymerization. The 2,2 -azo(bis)isobutyronitrile/copper(n) triflate/chiral diamine ligand system was used as an asymmetric reverse atom transfer polymerization initiating system for the enantiomer-selective cyclopolymerization of (25,4S 2/ ,4/5-2,4-pentanediyl dimethacrylate. Results indicate that the asymmetric reverse ATRP initiating system was effective for the enantioselective radical cyclopolymerization, leading to optically active polymers. Three different chiral diamines were used as ligand including (—)-sparteine. 

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