Highly Efficient Catalytic System for the CO/Styrene Copolymerization: Toward the Stabilization of the Active Species

A facile approach to ketones via Pd-catalyzed sequential carbonylation of olefins with formic acid

An effective palladium-catalyzed sequential carbonylation of olefins with formic acid is described.

Activation of late transition metal catalysts for olefin polymerizations and olefin/CO copolymerizations

The late transition metal catalysts for homo- and copolymerizations of olefins expand the polymer properties and the usable monomer feedstock of early transition metal catalysts. A critical step for a polymerization is the activation of catalyst precursors and the generation of the actual active site. This perspective discusses possible activation protocols for two well-known catalyst systems, the a-diimine Ni or Pd olefin polymerization catalysts and the Pd catalysts for alkene/CO copolymerization. The general concept of catalyst activation is outlined and similarities as well as differences between single-component catalysts and in situ activated systems are highlighted.

Long-Lived Palladium Catalysts for CO/Vinyl Arene Polyketones Synthesis: A Solution to Deactivation Problems

A series of cationic palladium complexes of general formula [Pd(Me)(MeCN)(N-N)][PF(6)] (N-N = (phen) 1 a, 4,7-dichloro-1,10-phenanthroline (4,7-Cl(2)-phen) 2 a, 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4,7-Ph(2)-phen) 3 a, 4-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4-Me-phen) 4 a, 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (4,7-Me(2)-phen) 5 a, 5,5,6,6-tetrafluoro-5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthroline (F(4)-phen) 6 a, containing different substituted phenanthroline ligands, have been prepared from the corresponding neutral chloro derivatives [Pd(Me)(Cl)(N-N)], (1 b-6 b). The X-ray crystal structure of [Pd(Cl)(2)(4,7-Cl(2)-phen)] (2 b') was determined. DFT calculations show that the electron density on the metal is tuned by the substituents on the ligands. The catalytic behavior of complexes 1 a-6 a in the CO/styrene and CO/p-Me-styrene copolymerizations was studied in detail, showing that the generated catalysts are active for at least 90 h, yielding copolymers of high molecular weight. A firm correlation between the electron density on palladium on the one hand and the catalytic activity of the complexes and the molecular weight and the stereochemistry of the polyketones synthesized on the other hand has been established: the catalyst containing the F(4)-phen is thus far the most active among those tested, yielding the syndiotactic CO/styrene copolymer with a stereoregularity of 96 % (uu triad) and with an M(w) value of 1 000 000.

Mono- and dinuclear bioxazoline-palladium complexes for the stereocontrolled synthesis of CO/styrene polyketones

The coordination chemistry of the chiral bioxazoline ligand (4S,4'S)-2,2'-bis(4-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole) to Pd(II) provides evidence that the ligand bonding can occur either through chelation of one Pd(II) ion leading to a mononuclear species with the expected cis geometry, or by double bridging of two Pd(II) ions giving a dinuclear complex with trans geometry. The species in solution are identified by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Both the mononuclear and the dinuclear complexes promote the CO/styrene copolymerization, yielding the corresponding polyketone with a fully or a predominantly isotactic microstructure, depending on the reaction medium. The nature of the anion present in the palladium precatalysts affects the polyketone stereochemistry. MALDI-TOF analysis of the copolymers synthesized reveals the presence of p-hydroxyphenolic end-groups, thus confirming and explaining the role of 1,4-hydroquinone as a molecular weight regulator.

From atactic to isotactic CO/p-methylstyrene copolymer by proper modification of Pd(ii) catalysts bearing achiral α-diimines

Cationic Pd(II) complexes modified with achiral C(2v)-symmetric alpha-diimine ligands allow preparation of atactic or isotactic stereoblock CO/p-methylstyrene copolymers; both catalyst activity and polyketone microstructure depend on the choice of alpha-diimine substituents and counterion.