Ligand effects in chromium diphosphine catalysed olefin co-trimerisation and diene trimerisation

Lucy E. Bowen, Manutsavin Charernsuk, Thomas W. Hey, Claire L. McMullin, A. Guy Orpen, Duncan F. Wass*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

49 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A series of symmetric and unsymmetric N,N-bis(diarylphosphino)amine ('PNP') ligands (Ar(2)PN(R)PNAr'(2): R = Me, Ar(2) = o-anisyl, Ar'(2) = Ph, 1, R = Me, Ar(2) = o-tolyl, Ar'(2) = Ph, 2, R = Me, Ar(2) = Ph(o-ethyl), Ar'(2) = Ph, 3, R = Me, Ar(2) = Ar'2 = o-anisyl, 4, R = (i)Pr, Ar(2) = Ar'(2) = Ph, 5) and symmetric N,N'-bis(diarylphosphino)dimethylhydrazine ('PNNP') ligands (Ar(2)PN(Me)N(Me)PAr(2): Ar(2) = o-tolyl, 6, Ar(2) = o-anisyl, 7) have been synthesised. Catalytic screening for ethene/styrene co-trimerisation and isoprene trimerisation was performed via the in situ complexation to [CrCl(3)(THF)(3)] followed by activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO). PNNP catalytic systems showed a significant increase in activity and selectivity over previously reported PNP systems in isoprene trimerisation. Comparing the symmetric and unsymmetric variants in ethene and styrene co-trimerisation resulted in a switch in selectivity, an unsymmetric catalytic (o-anisyl)(2)PN(Me)PPh(2) (1) ligand system affording unique incorporation of two styrenic monomers into the co-trimer product distribution differing from the familiar two ethene and one styrene omega-substituted alkenes. Complexes of the type [(diphosphine)Cr(CO)(4)] 8-11 were also synthesised, the single-crystal X-ray diffraction of which are reported. We propose the mechanisms of these catalytic transformations and an insight into the effect of the ligand series on the chromacyclic catalytic intermediates.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)560-567
Number of pages8
JournalDalton Transactions
Volume39
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010

Keywords

  • ASSISTED TERPENOID SYNTHESIS
  • ETHYLENE TRIMERIZATION
  • SELECTIVE TRIMERIZATION
  • COORDINATION CHEMISTRY
  • ETHENE TRIMERIZATION
  • TETRAMERIZATION
  • ISOPRENE
  • FARNESENE

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Ligand effects in chromium diphosphine catalysed olefin co-trimerisation and diene trimerisation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this