Adnan S. Abu-Surrah

High molecular weight 1-olefin/carbon monoxide copolymers: a new class of versatile polymers

The moderate electrophilicity of palladium(II)-phosphine catalysts compared to those of zirconocene dichlorides makes them more tolerant toward a variety of polar functionalities of olefinic monomers. This allows use of Pd(II) complexes as catalysts for the copolymerization of olefins with readily available polar monomers, like acrylic acid derivatives or carbon monoxide. In particular, developments during the recent years have opened the way to a new and broad family of high molecular weight 1-olefin/CO co- and terpolymers. These 1,4-polyketone materials show interesting and easily variable properties which can be tuned from insoluble, highly crystalline to thermoplastic elastic. The latter polymers resemble in some cases flexible PVC and even vulcanized natural rubbers.

A dichloropalladium(II) complex with a mixed donor bidentate ligand : Dichloro[2-(diphenylphosphino)-1-(methylthio)ethane-P, S]palladium(II)

The title compound, [PdCl 2 (C 15 H 17 PS)], was prepared by the reaction of cis-dichlorobis(benzonitrile)-palladium(II) with the ligand 1-(thiomethyl)-2-(diphenylphosphino)ethane in acetone. The crystal structure of the resulting palladium(II) complex has been determined. The length of the Pd-Cl bonds is consistent with the trans-influence order: P > S.

An Enantiomerically Pure Schiff Base Ligand

(1R,2R)-(-)-N,N-bis(quinoline-2-methylidene)-1,2-cyclo-hexanediamine, C 26 H 24 N 4 , was prepared by the reaction of quinoline-2-carbaldehyde and the corresponding diamine. The crystal structure of the resulting enantiomerically pure quadridentate ligand has been determined.