Tungsten phenoxide catalysts

Several early attempts at ADMET polymerization were made with classical olefin metathesis catalysts [57-59]. The first successful attempt was the ADMET polymerizations of 1,9-decadiene and 1,5-hexadiene with the WClg/EtAlf l,. catalyst mixture [60]. As mentioned in the introduction, the active catalytic entities in these reactions are ill-defined and not spectroscopically identifiable. Ethylene was trapped from the reaction mixture and identified. In addition to the expected ADMET polymers, intractable materials were observed, which were presumed to be the result of vinyl polymerization of the diene to produce crosslinked polymer. Addition to double bonds is a common side reaction promoted by classical olefin metathesis catalysts. Indeed, reaction of styrene with this catalyst mixture and even wifh WCl, alone led to polystyrene. Years later, classical catalysts were revisited in fhe context of producing tin-containing ADMET polymers wifh tungsten phenoxide catalysts [61], Alkyl tin reagents have long been known to act as co-catalysts in classical metathesis catalyst mixtures, and in this case the tin-containing monomer acted as monomer and cocatalyst [62]. Monomers with less than three methylene spacers between the olefin and tin atoms did not polymerize (Scheme 6.14). 

A timeline for the development of olefin metathesis, adapted from a review by Grubbs, is shown in Figure 21.3. Olefin metathesis is more than 50 years old. " It was first conducted with ill-defined rhenium, molybdenum, and tungsten systems generated from perrhenate, aluminum oxide, - and tetraethyl lead as additive, from molybdenum oxide on p-TiO and tetramethyltin as additive, ° or from tungsten phenoxides supported on niobium oxide and silicon oxide activated with alkylaluminum reagents. The temperatures for these processes are hi, but the catalysts are relatively inexpensive and can be long lived. These are the types of catalysts that have been used for the synthesis of commodity chemicals by olefin metathesis. 

During the last decade different tungsten(VI) phenoxides of the type WCle x(OAx), WOCI4 3,(OAr)j, or W(=NAr)CU (,(OAr) have been reported which in combination with a cocatalyst, e.g. R AlCls or an alkyltin hydride, form very active catalysts for the metathesis of linear as well as cyclic olefins (Bell, A. 1994b). They can be even more active for the metathesis of pent-2-ene when brought on to a support (Verpoort 1996a,b). 

A vast majority of the allylic substitution reactions have been reported with palladium catalysts. However, complexes of other metals also catalyze allylic substitution reactions. In particular, complexes of molybdenum,tungsten, ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium " have been shown to catalyze the reactions of a variety of carbon nucleo-pliiles. In addition, complexes of ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium catalyze the reactions of phenoxides, alkoxides, amines, and amine derivatives. " The regioselectivity of the allylic substitution process witli these metals can often complement the regioselectivity of the reactions catalyzed by palladium complexes. The regioselectivity... 

ABSTRACT. Cyclometalated aryloxy(chloro)neopentylidene-tungsten complexes can be synthesized starting from WCl4(OAr)2 (OAr = 2,6-disubstituted phenoxide), but also starting from the neopentylidyne complex W(CCMe3)Cl3(dme) (by reaction with LiOAr). Some of these cyclometalated neopentylidenes are probably among the most active and stereoselective one-component metathesis catalysts. In particular, they are fairly active in the metathesis of an olefinic ester such as ethyl oleate and they have been successfully used in the metathesis of olefinic sulfides. 

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