Issue 2, 2010

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

Abstract

A series of symmetric and unsymmetric N,N-bis(diarylphosphino)amine (‘PNP’) ligands (Ar2PN(R)PNAr′2: R = Me, Ar2 = o-anisyl, Ar′2 = Ph, 1, R = Me, Ar2 = o-tolyl, Ar′2 = Ph, 2, R = Me, Ar2 = Ph(o-ethyl), Ar′2 = Ph, 3, R = Me, Ar2 = Ar′2 = o-anisyl, 4, R = iPr, Ar2 = Ar′2 = Ph, 5) and symmetric N,N′-bis(diarylphosphino)dimethylhydrazine (‘PNNP’) ligands (Ar2PN(Me)N(Me)PAr2: Ar2 = o-tolyl, 6, Ar2 = o-anisyl, 7) have been synthesised. Catalytic screening for ethene/styrene co-trimerisation and isoprene trimerisation was performed via the in situ complexation to [CrCl3(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)2PN(Me)PPh2 (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 ω-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.

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

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Jul 2009
Accepted
21 Sep 2009
First published
16 Oct 2009

Dalton Trans., 2010,39, 560-567

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

L. E. Bowen, M. Charernsuk, T. W. Hey, C. L. McMullin, A. G. Orpen and D. F. Wass, Dalton Trans., 2010, 39, 560 DOI: 10.1039/B913302J

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