Alternating Copolymerization of CO 2 and Propylene Oxide Catalyzed by Co III (salen)/Lewis Base

Non-covalent interactions in molecular architectures and solvent-free catalytic activity towards CO2 fixation of mononuclear Co(III) complexes installed on modified Schiff base ligands

A set of mononuclear cobalt(III) octahedral complexes {[Co(LH)(acac)] (Co-1H), [Co(LBr)(acac)] (Co-1Br), and [Co(LNO2)(acac)] (Co-1NO2)} were synthesized using new-generation N/O donors, maleonitrile-tethered, tetradentate heteroscorpionate half-reduced Schiff base ligands, 2-((E)-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-3-(pyridin-2-ylmethylamino)maleonitrile (H2LH), 2-((E)-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino)-3-((pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)maleonitrile (H2LBr), and 2-((E)-2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzylideneamino)-3-(pyridin-2-ylmethylamino)maleonitrile (H2LNO2). All the compounds were well characterized spectroscopically and structurally. The non-covalent interactions present in the lattice of Co-complexes were studied in detail to explain the molecular architecture using the Hirshfeld surface (HS) analysis. The catalytic activity of CO2 fixation towards epoxides under mild and solvent-free conditions was demonstrated. The synthesized complexes are catalysts that are well-active towards the CO2 activation under ambient conditions, whereas most of the reported catalysts require harsh conditions.

Chiral Cobalt-Salen Complexes: Ubiquitous Species in Asymmetric Catalysis

Since the discovery of their extraordinary reactivity in the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of terminal epoxides about twenty years ago, chiral cobalt-salen complexes have been shown to be essential for many other asymmetric catalytic reactions. This account summarizes the inspiring works dedicated to the discovery of their new reactivity and their mode of action, as well as the new processes towards the optimization of their cooperativity for bimetallic activation and the implementation of their effective immobilization, including also our contribution on these topics.

Chiral salenCo(iii) complexes with bulky substituents as catalysts for stereoselective alternating copolymerization of racemic propylene oxide with carbon dioxide and succinic anhydride

Stereoregular poly(propylene carbonate)s and poly(propylene succinate-block-carbonate)s were synthesized with new chiral salenCo(iii) catalysts carrying bulky substituents.

Salen complexes of zirconium and hafnium: synthesis, structural characterization and polymerization studies

Salen complexes of zirconium and hafnium were synthesized and used as effective catalysts for the polymerization of lactide and ε-CL and homopolymerization, copolymerization and coupling of epoxides with CO₂.

Zinc glutarate-mediated copolymerization of CO2 and PO – parameter studies using design of experiments

Parameter studies of the PO/CO₂-copolymerization revealed the importance of the surface coverage of a nanoscopic ZnGA catalyst.

Zr(iv) complexes containing salan-type ligands: synthesis, structural characterization and role as catalysts towards the polymerization of ε-caprolactone, rac-lactide, ethylene, homopolymerization and copolymerization of epoxides with CO2

Three new Zr(iv) complexes bearing salan-type diamine bis(phenolato) ligands were synthesized and their activities towards the ROP of ε-CL, rac-LA and homopolymerization, copolymerization and coupling of epoxides with CO₂ were investigated.

Ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP): synthesis and properties of polyesters and polycarbonates

This feature article highlights the opportunities presented by ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) as a controlled route to prepare polyesters and polycarbonates.

A MALDI-TOF MS analysis study of the binding of 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine to amine-bis(phenolate) chromium(iii) chloride complexes: mechanistic insight into differences in catalytic activity for CO2/epoxide copolymerization

Amine-bis(phenolato)chromium(iii) chloride complexes, [LCrCl], are capable of catalyzing the copolymerization of cyclohexene oxide with carbon dioxide to give poly(cyclohexane) carbonate. When combined with 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) these catalyst systems yield low molecular weight polymers with moderately narrow polydispersities. The coordination chemistry of DMAP with five amine-bis(phenolato)chromium(iii) chloride complexes was studied by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The amine-bis(phenolato) ligands were varied in the nature of their neutral pendant donor-group and include oxygen-containing tetrahydrofurfuryl and methoxyethyl moieties, or nitrogen-containing N,N-dimethylaminoethyl or 2-pyridyl moieties. The relative abundance of mono and bis(DMAP) adducts, as well as DMAP-free ions is compared under various DMAP : Cr complex ratios. The [LCr]⁺ cations show the ability to bind two DMAP molecules to form six-coordinate complex ions in all cases, except when the pendant group is N,N-dimethylaminoethyl (compound 3). Even in the presence of a 4 : 1 ratio of DMAP to Cr, no ions corresponding to [L3Cr(DMAP)₂]⁺ were observed for the complex containing the tertiary sp³-hybridized amino donor in the pendant arm. The difference in DMAP-binding ability of these compounds results in differences in catalytic activity for alternating copolymerization of CO₂ and cyclohexene oxide. Kinetic investigations by infrared spectroscopy of compounds 2 and 3 show that polycarbonate formation by 3 is twice as fast as that of compound 2 and that no initiation time is observed.

Regarding initial ring opening of propylene oxide in its copolymerization with CO2 catalyzed by a cobalt(III) porphyrin complex

Cobalt(III) tetraphenylporphyrin chloride (TPPCoCl) was experimentally proved to be an active catalyst for poly(propylene carbonate) production. It was chosen as a model catalyst in the present work to investigate the initiation step of propylene oxide (PO)/CO2 copolymerization, which is supposed to be the ring opening of the epoxide. Ring-opening intermediates (1-7) were detected by using (1) H NMR spectroscopy. A first-order reaction in TPPCoCl was determined. A combination of monometallic and bimetallic ring-opening pathways is proposed according to kinetics experiments. Addition of onium salts (e.g., bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium chloride, PPNCl) efficiently promoted the PO ring-opening rate. The existence of axial ligand exchange in the cobalt porphyrin complex in the presence of onium salts was suggested by analyzing collected (1) H NMR spectra.

Efficient catalyst removal and recycling in copolymerization of epoxides with carbon dioxide via simple liquid-liquid phase separation

A simple and efficient catalyst removal system has been developed in the cobalt-salen-catalyzed copolymerization of propylene oxide with carbon dioxide. The present system requires no prior modification of the catalyst, and the removal is achieved by simple addition of myristic acid, followed by organic liquid-liquid phase separation.

Chromium(iii) amine-bis(phenolate) complexes as catalysts for copolymerization of cyclohexene oxide and CO2

Chromium complexes of tri- and tetradentate amine-bis(phenolate) ligands in combination with chloride, azide or DMAP nucleophiles are effective catalysts for the copolymerization of CO₂ with cyclohexene oxide to give polycarbonates.

Asymmetric copolymerization of CO2 with meso-epoxides mediated by dinuclear cobalt(III) complexes: unprecedented enantioselectivity and activity

Unprecedented enantioselectivity and catalytic activity was observed in the asymmetric copolymerization of CO2 with meso-epoxides (including the less reactive cyclopentene oxide) mediated by the dinuclear Co(III) complex (S,S,S,S)-1 under mild conditions. The resultant copolymers possess more than 99 % carbonate linkages and a perfectly isotactic structure.

Influence of the metal (Al, Cr, and Co) and substituents of the porphyrin in controlling reactions involved in copolymerization of propylene oxide and carbon dioxide by porphyrin metal(III) complexes. 3. Cobalt chemistry

A series of cobalt(III) complexes LCoX, where L = 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (TFPP), and 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyirn (OEP) and X = Cl or acetate, has been investigated for homopolymerization of propylene oxide (PO) and copolymerization of PO and CO2 to yield polypropylene oxide (PPO) and polypropylene carbonate (PPC) or propylene carbonate (PC), respectively. These reactions were carried out both with and without the presence of a cocatalyst, namely, 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) or PPN(+)Cl(-) (bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium chloride). The PO/CO2 copolymerization process is notably faster than PO homopolymerization. With ionic PPN(+)Cl(-) cocatalyst the TPPCoOAc catalyst system grows two chains per Co center and the presence of excess [Cl(-)] facilitates formation of PC by two different backbiting mechanisms during copolymerization. Formation of PPC is dependent on both [Cl(-)] and the CO2 pressure employed (1-50 bar). TPPCoCl and PO react to form TPPCo(II) and ClCH2CH(Me)OH, while with DMAP, TPPCoCl yields TPPCo(DMAP)2(+)Cl(-). The reactions and their polymers and other products have been monitored by various methods including react-IR, FT-IR, GPC, ESI, MALDI TOF, EXAFS, and NMR ((1)H, (13)C{(1)H}) spectroscopy. Notable differences are seen in these reactions with previous studies of (porphyrin)M(III) complexes (M = Al, Cr) and of the (salen)M(III) complexes where M = Cr, Co.