Zinc alkyls metal hydrides

It is of practical use for metals whose alkyl derivatives are commercially easily available, namely, lithium and magnesium. Metal hydrides can be used as starting material mainly for alkali and alkaline-earth metals. Although Zn(OR)2 alkoxides derived from classic OR groups are insoluble soluble tetranuclear zinc alkyl or hydridoalkoxides [ZnX(OR )]4 (X = R or H) can be obtained starting from zinc alkyls or hydride [30,31]. 

The analogous reactions of Zn and Cd derivatives arc less well studied. Zinc alkyls ZnRi (R = Et, n-Bu) react with transition-metal hydride complexes, H2M(Cp-(M = Mo, W) ... 

Zinc dialkyls are also reduced by alkali-metal hydrides the products depend on the alkyl group and on the ratio of reactants. Di(s-butyl)zinc and KH yield an anionic hydride ... 

The induction period can also be shortened or even eliminated by the addition of reducing agents either to the catalyst or to the reactor. Particularly effective are the alkyls or hydrides of aluminum, boron, zinc, lithium, magnesium, etc. When added in ppm quantities, they can eliminate the induction time of Cr(VI)/silica and also raise the steady-state polymerization rate. Some metal alkyls can remove poisons and redox byproducts. All metal alkyls no doubt help reduce the Cr(VI), perhaps to Cr(IV). And some may even help alkylate the chromium, similar to the chemistry of Ziegler catalysts. Figure 16 shows how triethylaluminum cocatalyst can be used to shorten the induction time [52],... 

The reaction of CO2 with a metal hydride produces formate complexes M-0C(0)H, not formyl derivatives M-C(0)0H, and the insertion into M-C bonds gives the appropriate carboxylate compounds M-0C(0)R. In a similar fashion, the reactions with M-OH and M-OR (R = alkyl, aryl) generate the corresponding bicarbonate M-0C(0)0H and carbonate M-0C(0)0R species, respectively. The reaction of CO2 with a zinc hydroxide moiety is particularly important in biological systems, namely, for the reversible hydration of CO2 to HCOs catalyzed by Zn(ll) in carbonic anyhdrases. Moreover, it has been postulated that the insertion of CO2 into M-O bonds is essential in the co-polymerization of CO2 and epoxides and in the preparation of cyclic carbonates and polycarbo-In a similar vein, the insertion of CO2 into the M-N bond of both main group and transition metal... 

Free radical attack at the pyridine ring is noted for its low selectivity and substituents have little effect. Arylation takes place at all three positions, but halogen atoms preferentially attack the a-, and alkyl radicals the a- and y-positions. Metals such as sodium and zinc transfer a single electron to pyridine to form anion radicals. These can dimerize by reaction at the a- or y-position to yield dipyridyls by loss of hydride ion. Thus, reduction of pyridine by chemical and catalytic means is easier than reduction of benzene. 

A number of stannyl-zinc and -cadmium compounds have been prepared by reaction of a tin-alkali metal compound with a zinc or cadmium halide, or a tin hydride with an alkyl-zinc or -cadmium compound. The coordination of a ligand such as a triphenyl-phosphine, TMEDA, or bipyridyl, or a solvating solvent such as DME, both enhances the nucleophilicity of the alkyl group in the alkylmetallic compounds and stabilises the stannylmetallic product. Thus triphenyltin hydride reacts with diethylzinc or diethylcad-mium in pentane or benzene with separation of metallic zinc or cadmium, but with a preformed complex, or in a coordinating solvent, the distannylmetallic compound is formed (e.g. equation 19-32). 

Most commonly, the catalyst component consists of halides or oxyhalides of titanium, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, or zirconium, and the cocatalyst component often consists of an alkyl, aryl, or hydride of metals such as aluminum, lithium, zinc, tin, cadmium, beryllium, and magnesium. The catalyst systems may be heterogeneous (some titanium-based systems) or soluble (most vanadium-containing species). Perhaps the best known systems are those derived from TiCl4 or TiCls and an aluminum trialkyl. 

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