Shizhen Du

Constrained formation of 2-(1-(arylimino)ethyl)-7-arylimino-6,6-dimethylcyclopentapyridines and their cobalt(II) chloride complexes: synthesis, characterization and ethylene polymerization

A series of 2-(1-(arylimino)ethyl)-7-arylimino-6,6-dimethylcyclopentapyridine derivatives (L1-L5) was synthesized, and individually reacted with cobalt(II) chloride to form the corresponding cobalt chloride complexes (C1-C4). These compounds were characterized, and the single crystal X-ray diffraction for two representative cobalt complexes was carried out. The molecular structures indicate that 2,7-bis(arylimino)cyclopentapyridines act as tridentate ligands; however, one of the Co-N coordinative bonds is weak due to the spatial separation of nitrogen atoms. Upon activation with either MAO or MMAO, all cobalt complexes exhibit catalytic activities toward ethylene. Polymerization takes place in the presence of MAO with activities of approximately 10(4) g of PE per (mol of Co) per h, but oligomerization occurs in the presence of MMAO with the activities higher by one order of magnitude. The resultant products, either polyethylenes or oligomers, display high linearity. Relatively low activities observed for cobalt complexes discussed reflect the importance of the appropriate spatial arrangement of the three donor nitrogen atoms.

Enhancing thermo-stability to ethylene polymerization: synthesis, characterization and the catalytic behavior of 1-(2,4-dibenzhydryl-6-chlorophenylimino)-2-aryliminoacenaphthylnickel halides

A series of 1-(2,4-dibenzhydryl-6-chlorophenylimino)-2-aryliminoacenaphthylene derivatives (L1-L5) was synthesized and reacted with nickel halides to form the corresponding nickel complexes LNiX2 (X = Br, Ni1-Ni5; X = Cl, Ni6-Ni10). The molecular structures of representative complexes Ni2 and Ni5 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, indicating the distorted square planar geometry around the nickel atom of complex Ni2 and the distorted tetrahedral geometry around the nickel atom of complex Ni5, respectively. Upon activation with low amounts of ethylaluminium sesquichloride (Et3Al2Cl3, EASC), all nickel complexes exhibited high activities up to 1.09 x 10(7) g of PE per mol of Ni per h toward ethylene polymerization, producing branched polyethylenes. Most importantly, these systems showed good thermo-stability, even at 80 degrees C maintaining the activity with 3.76 x 10(6) g of PE per mol of Ni per h.

Raising the N-aryl fluoride content in unsymmetrical diaryliminoacenaphthylenes as a route to highly active nickel(II) catalysts in ethylene polymerization

Five examples of selectively fluorinated unsymmetrical diiminoacenaphthylenes, 1-[2,6-{(4-FC6H4)2CH}2-4-FC6H4N]-2-(ArN) C2C10H6 (Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3L1, 2,6-Et2C6H3L2, 2,6-iPr2C6H3L3, 2,4,6-Me3C6H2L4, 2,6-Et2-4-MeC6H2L5), have been synthesized and used to prepare their corresponding nickel(ii) halide complexes, LNiBr2 (Ni1-Ni5) and LNiCl2 (Ni6-Ni10). Both 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopy techniques have been employed to characterize paramagnetic Ni1-Ni10; an inequivalent fluorine environment is a feature of the tetrahedral complexes in solution. Upon activation with relatively low ratios (ca. 600 equiv.) of ethylaluminum sesquichloride (Et3Al2Cl2, EASC), all the nickel complexes displayed high activities toward ethylene polymerization at 30 °C with precatalyst Ni4 the standout performer at 2.20 × 107 g of PE per mol of Ni per h, producing highly branched polyethylenes. In comparison with related diiminoacenaphthylene-nickel catalysts, these current systems, incorporating a high fluorine content on one N-aryl group, display superior productivity. In addition, the molecular structures of Ni2 and Ni4 are reported and the active catalyst is probed using 19F NMR spectroscopy.

A practical ethylene polymerization for vinyl-polyethylenes: synthesis, characterization and catalytic behavior of α,α′-bisimino-2,3:5,6-bis(pentamethylene)pyridyliron chlorides

A series of α,α′-bis(arylimino)-2,3:5,6-bis(pentamethylene)pyridyliron chlorides was synthesized in a one-pot reaction and characterized by FT-IR and elemental analysis as well as X-ray crystallography for one representative iron complex, where the Fe center adopts a distorted square pyramidal geometry with three coordinating nitrogen and two chlorine atoms. The iron precatalysts, upon treatment with either methylaluminoxane (MAO) or modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), exhibit high activities in the range of 107 g of PE per mol of Fe per h toward ethylene polymerization, yielding highly linear and, more importantly, vinyl-polyethylenes. The correlation between the structural features of iron complexes and their catalytic activities was also investigated.

Nickel(II) Complexes Bearing 4-Arylimino-1,2,3-trihydroacridines: Synthesis, Characterization, and Ethylene Oligomerization.

Nickel(II) complexes have attracted much attention as a new generation of olefin catalysts since the α-diiminonickel complex was discovered as a highly efficient procatalyst for ethylene polymerization. A series of novel 4-arylimino-1,2,3-trihydroacridylnickel(II) dihalide complexes was synthesized in a one-pot reaction of 2,3-dihydroacridine-4-one and different anilines with nickel(II) chloride or nickel(II) bromide 1,2-dimethoxyethane complex. The complexes were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of the representative complexes 4-(2,6-diisopropylphenylimino)-1,2,3-trihydroacridylnickel(II) dichloride (C3), 4-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino)-1,2,3-trihydroacridylnickel dichloride(II) (C4), and 4-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino)-1,2,3-trihydroacridylnickel(II) dibromide (C9) were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, revealing a distorted tetrahedral geometry around the nickel(II) of C3 and distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry for C4 and C9. With the activation of trimethylaluminium (TMA), all nickel(II) complexes exhibited good activity for ethylene oligomerization, and oligomer products ranged from butene (C4) to hexadecene (C16).