Alkylidene-tungsten

In retrospect it is not surprising that the niobium and tantalum alkylldene complexes we prepared are not good metathesis catalysts since these metals are not found in the "classical" olefin metathesis systems (2). Therefore, we set out to prepare some tungsten alkylidene complexes. The first successful reaction is that shown in equation 6 (L = PMe3 or PEt3) (11). These oxo... 

Keywords Metathesis, Molybdenum, Tungsten Alkylidene, Ring-opening, Ring-closing. 

Scheme 2. Two tungsten alkylidene catalysts that contain a metal-aryl bond... 

Initial reports of cross-metathesis reactions using well-defined catalysts were limited to simple isolated examples the metathesis of ethyl or methyl oleate with dec-5-ene catalysed by tungsten alkylidenes [13,14] and the cross-metathesis of unsaturated ethers catalysed by a chromium carbene complex [15]. With the discovery of the well-defined molybdenum and ruthenium alkylidene catalysts 3 and 4,by Schrock [16] and Grubbs [17],respectively, the development of alkene metathesis as a tool for organic synthesis began in earnest. 

The successful cross-metathesis of allyl methyl sulphide with ris-pent-2-ene and czs-but-2-ene, catalysed by the tungsten alkylidene 5, was reported by Basset and co-workers in 1993 [20] (Scheme 1). 

The report by Basset and co-workers on the metathesis of sulphur-containing alkenes using a tungsten alkylidene complex, mentioned previously for the acyclic cross-metathesis reaction (see Sect. 2.2), also contained early examples of ring-opening cross-metathesis of functionalised alkenes [20]. Allyl methyl sulphide was reacted with norbornene in the presence of the tungsten catalyst 5, to yield the desired ring-opened diene 35 (Eq. 29). 

Probably the first isolated tungsten alkylidene complex active in metathesis and completely characterised is the one shown in Figure 16.10 reported by Wengrovius and Schrock the analysis included an X-ray structure determination by Churchill and co-workers [18], The alkylidene was transferred from a tantalum complex to yield the hexacoordinate tungsten complex containing two PEt3 ligands. One of these can be removed by the addition of half an equivalent of palladium chloride. The total turnover number of these catalysts with Lewis acids added was 50 in 24 hours. 

Figure 16.11. Highly active tungsten alkylidene complex and tungstenacyclobutane complex...

Figure 16.25. Reaction of tungsten alkylidene with enynes...

Acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization of divinyl benzene, shown in Scheme 37, using an extremely reactive tungsten alkylidene catalyst (Schrock s catalyst) yielded PPV oligomers with DP of 8 [153]. In this example ethylene is formed as a side product of metathesis, and its removal by the use of high vacuum helps drive the polymerization in the forward direction. 

The ionic compound [Br(Mc3CCH20)2W=CHCMe3]1 [Ga2Br7] displays catalytic activity increased by a factor of ca 3400 compared with the neutral tungsten alkylidene complex. 

These 1987 resnlts concluded that classical metathesis catalyst systems were not sufficient and that Lewis acid cocatalyst-free systems were necessary if successM ADMET condensation polymerization were to become a reality. The key to snccessM ADMET polymerization was demonstrated " nsing the Lewis acid-free tungsten alkylidene metathesis catalyst (5a), the structure of which had been reported by Schrock et just one year earlier. When this... 

Tungsten alkylidenes have also been shown to accomplish carbonyl alkylidenation. Aldehydes, ketones, esters and amides have been used as the carbonyl moiety. These reactions involve metallacycle intermediates and appear to parallel much of the metathesis chemistry (equation 32). 

Schrock RR, Czekelius C. Recent advances in the syntheses 136. and applications of molybdenum and tungsten alkylidene and alkylidyne catalysts for the metathesis of alkenes and alkynes. 

Finally, the synthesis of fhe aryloxy(chloro)tungsten alkylidene complex reported by Basset et al. needs to be mentioned (Scheme 5.2) [60]. 

Van der Schaaf reported on the photoinduced ROMP of NBE and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) using W(NPh)(OCMe(CF3)2)2(CH2SiMe3)2 and W(NPh)Cl(CH2SiMe3)3, respectively, as tungsten alkylidene precursors [71]. Unfortunately, the corresponding ROMP-active species were not isolated. Nevertheless, their existence was indirectly proven by reaction with an aldehyde and characterization of the resulting alkene. 

A diamido tungsten(VI)-based catalyst was reported by Boncella and co-workers [72]. It was prepared from the dilithio salt of N,N -bistrimethylsilyl-protected o-phe-nylenediamine and W(NPh)Cl4(OEt2). The conversion of the intermediate bisalkyl complex into the corresponding tungsten alkylidene requires the addition of an ex-... 

More recently, a Pd(II) salt was shown to catalyze the 1,2-insertion polymerization of a 7-oxanorbornadiene derivative (Fig. 10-16) [50]. The resulting saturated polymer, when heated, gives polyacetylene via a retro-Diels-Alder reaction. (This reaction is reminiscent of the Durham route to polyacetylene discussed below). One advantage of this technique over other routes is that it employs a late transition metal polymerization catalyst. Catalysts using later transition metals tend to be less oxophilic than the d° early transition metal complexes typically used for alkene and alkyne polymerizations [109,110]. Whereas tungsten alkylidene catalysts must be handled under dry anaerobic conditions, the Pd(II)-catalyzed reaction of water-insoluble monomers may be run as an aqueous emulson polymerization. 

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