E. Sh. Finkel’shtein

Highly permeable polymer materials based on silicon-substituted norbornenes

An approach to the manufacture of highly permeable polymers based on the synthesis and polymerization of norbornenes, norbornadienes, and tricyclononenes with different numbers and different positions of silicon-containing substituents has been developed. It has been found that these monomers are readily involved in metathesis polymerization yielding high-molecular-mass polymers possessing good filmforming properties. The addition (vinyl) polymerization of norbornenes is a more complex process; however, the product silylated polynorbornenes exhibit a higher gas permeability than the corresponding metathesis polynorbornenes. By the level of the gas-transport parameters, the silylated addition polynorbornenes obtained in the study are grouped with the most advanced high-permeability polymers. It has been shown that the presence of Me3Si substituent groups, their amount, and the main-chain structure are responsible for the enhancement of the gas permeability of polynorbornenes. Thus, a series of polymers with a regularly changing structure has been obtained, a result that makes it possible to reveal the polymer structure-property relations.

Synthesis and gas separation properties of metathesis polynorbornenes with different positions of one or two SiMe3 groups in a monomer unit

The metathesis polymerization of 5,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)norbornene, 2,3-bis(trimethylsilyl)norbornadiene, and exo,endo-3,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)tricyclo[4.2.1.02,5]non-7-ene with the catalysts WCl6/1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane, RuCl3/EtOH, and the Grubbs Ru-carbene complex Cl2(PCy3)2Ru=CHPh has been studied. New polymers with yields of up to 98% and M w = (2−39) × 105 are prepared. New metathesis copolymers of 5-trimethylsilylnorbonene with 5-(hydroxymethyl)norbornene and 5-(trimethylsiloxymethyl)norbornene are synthesized in the presence of the Cl2(PCy3)2Ru=CHPh catalyst with yields of 78 and 98%. The gas-permeability study of the above series of the metathesis polymers containing one or two Me3Si substituents in each monomer unit shows that the introduction of the second SiMe3 group markedly improves their transport characteristics. A change in the character of the backbone (polynorbornadiene, polytricyclononene) has a small effect on the permeability of the polymers. The metathesis polynorbornene with two vicinal SiMe3 groups exhibits higher gas-permeability coefficients than its isomer with germinal substituents. The homopolymer of 5-trimethylsilylnorbornene is characterized by better transport parameters than its copolymers with -OSiMe3 and -OH substituents.

Kinetics of α-olefin metathesis on binary and ternary catalytic systems based on MoCl5/SiO2: Determination of the number of active centers and the mechanisms of their formation, deactivation, and reactivation

The kinetics of α-olefin metathesis in the presence of binary (MoCl5/SiO2-Me4Sn) and ternary catalytic systems (MoCl5/SiO2-Me4Sn-ECl4, E = Si or Ge) was studied. It was found that reactivation in the course of metathesis occurred on the addition of a third component (silicon tetrachloride or germanium tetrachloride in combination with tetramethyltin) to a partially deactivated catalyst. The number of active centers was determined (5–6% of the amount of Mo), and the mechanisms of formation, deactivation, and reactivation were proposed for the binary and ternary catalytic systems. The roles of the individual components of the catalytic systems were revealed.

Nickel catalysts for the addition polymerization of norbornene and its derivatives and for their copolymerization with ethylene

The addition polymerization of norbornene and its derivatives has been carried out in the presence of a nickel complex or carboxylate and an electron acceptor to obtain amorphous polymers with bicyclic units. Norbornene copolymers with conjugated dienes or ethylene cannot be obtained with these catalysts because of rapid chain transfer reactions. Norbornene can be copolymerized with ethylene under mild conditions in the presence of nickel phosphorylide chelates without using any cocatalyst. In most cases, the backbone of the resulting copolymer consists of alternating comonomer units. The new catalysts allow ethylene to be copolymerized with norbornene derivatives containing ester substituents.

Copolymerization of 5-(trimethylsilyl)norbornene and 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene

Addition and metathesis copolymerization of 5-(trimethylsilyl)norbornene (TMSNB) and 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB) has been studied. High-molecular-weight metathesis copolymers have been obtained on the first-generation Grubbs catalyst based on the Ru carbene complex Cl2Ru(=CHPh)(PCy3)2 with nearly quantitative yields. Addition copolymerization has been carried out on the Ni(II) naphthenatemethylaluminoxane (MAO) catalytic system. In both cases copolymerization proceeded without participation of ethylidene double bond. Copolymers of this type are promising ones for manufacturing stable highly permeable polymeric membranes, since they are capable for crosslinking.

Synthesis and metathesis polymerization of 5,5-Bis(trimethylsilyl)norbornene-2

Abstract5,5-Bis(trimethylsilyl)norbornene-2 was synthesized in a yield of 60% via the scheme of diene condensation of cyclopentadiene with 1,1-bis(trimethylsilyl)ethylene and subsequent methylation of the resulting adduct with methyllithium. Its metathesis polymerization was first performed on W and Ru catalysts with yields of up to 98%. The structure of the new polymer was determined by means of the NMR and IR techniques. The tungsten catalyst makes it possible to prepare the polymer with a 40% amount of trans-double bonds, whereas the ruthenium catalyst is more selective and yields the polymer that contains almost 100% trans-double bonds. A high glass transition temperature as compared to other silicon-substituted metathesis polynorbornenes (196–203°C) indicates a high rigidity of the polymer chain and suggests that the polymer will have good gas-separation properties.

Activity and stereoselectivity of heterogeneous molybdenum-and tungsten-containing catalytic systems in α-olefin metathesis

The dependence of the stereoisomeric composition of symmetric olefins (the products of α-olefin metathesis) on their conversion at 27 and 60°C was studied in the presence of three different catalysts: MoCl5/SiO2, MoOCl4/SiO2, and WCl6/SiO2, as well as SnMe4 as a cocatalyst. Experimental data on the stereoisomer contents of the equilibrium mixture agree well with the results of thermodynamic calculation. It was found that temperature has an effect on the equilibration rate and the composition of stereoisomers in the equilibrium mixture. The activity and stereoselectivity of these three catalyst systems in the metathesis of α-olefins were compared. The molybdenum-containing catalysts were shown to be more active than the tungsten catalysts.

Addition homo- and copolymerization of 3-triethoxysilyltricyclo[4.2.1.0 2,5 ]non-7-ene

New norbornene type monomer bearing reactive triethoxysilyl group was synthesized, and its addition homo- and copolymerization with 3-trimethylsilyltricyclonon-7-ene was studied. The target monomer was obtained using regio- and stereospecific [2σ+2σ+2π] cyclo-addition of quadricyclane with vinyltrichlorosilane followed by the reaction of the formed cycloadduct with ethanol in the presence of triethylamine. Addition polymerization was investigated over the three-component Pd-containing catalytic system (Pd complex, Na+[B(3,5-(CF3)2C6H3)4]–(cocatalyst) and tricyclohexylphosphine). The N-heterocyclic carbene Pd complex (SIPrPd(cinn)Cl) with high activity and tolerance to the Si—O—C moieties was used as a catalyst. The yields of the homo- and copolymers were 24—68% depending on the monomer (comonomer): Pd: B: PCy3 ratio. The obtained addition polymers are high-molecular-weight amorphous products, the glass transition temperature of which exceeds 300 °C. The presence of reactive Si(OC2H5)3 groups in the homo- and copolymers made it possible to carry out a hard-to-realize cross-linking involving side substituents and followed by the formation of insoluble polymers.

Olefin metathesis catalyst systems based on molybdenum halides and organosilicon compounds

The catalytic activity of heterogeneous catalytic systems based on molybdenum halides immobilized onto the silica gel surface in combination with organosilicon cocatalysts has been studied in a model reaction of hexene-1 metathesis at 27 and 50°C. It has been established that quite active catalysts are formed when using 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclobutane or triethylsilane as cocatalysts. Tetramethylsilane has exhibited no marked activity, while tetramethyltin has turned out to be the most effective cocatalyst. Possible routes of formation of active centers have been proposed for organosilicon cocatalysts.

Optimizing the preparation of an alumina-supported rhenium catalyst for olefin metathesis

The processes involved in the formation of the alumina-supported rhenium catalyst for olefin metathesis, from the impregnation of the support (thermally activated alumina) with ammonium perrhenate to thermal activation, are studied. The monolayer coverage of the Al2O3 surface is observed at a rhenium content of 10 wt % (on Re2O7 basis), and the surplus rhenium is sublimed as heptoxide from the support upon thermal activation. In the metathesis of both linear α-olefins and methylenecyclobutanes, the optimum supported rhenium content of the catalyst is 10 wt % on Re2O7 basis.