Synthesis, structure and catalytic polymerization activity of half‐sandwich cyclometallated iridium complexes

Abstract

A series of mononuclear half‐sandwich cyclometallated iridium complexes with Schiff base ligands were synthesized in good yields. Five air‐stable C,N‐chelate mode complexes were obtained smoothly through metal‐mediated C─H bond activation. Treatments of dimeric metal complexes [Cp*IrCl2]2 with ligands L1–L5 afforded the corresponding C,N‐chelate mononuclear half‐sandwich iridium(III) complexes 1–5. These iridium complexes exhibit high catalytic activity for norbornene polymerization. Both steric and electronic effects of the substituted groups have influences on the behaviors of the polymerization process. All complexes were characterized using infrared and NMR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. Molecular structures of complexes 1, 2 and 5 were further confirmed using single‐crystal X‐ray analysis.