Polymerization Catalysts Research Articles

Unveiling the Hidden Reactivity in the N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidation of Aldehydes: Unlocking Its Powerful Catalytic Performance.

An innovative solution that overcomes the long-standing inherently low efficiency in N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of aldehydes is reported. This solution included the design and synthesis of a novel polymerized catalyst and the utilization of a flow reactor. The unprecedentedly high efficiency achieved via this protocol makes it synthetically applicable. A total turnover number (TON) of 26,300 was achieved based on recycling experiments (runs). The highest TON in a single run could be up to 2475 with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 208 h-1, far superior to its traditional counterpart, in which a typical TON ranges from 20 to 100 with a TOF of less than 10 h-1. The catalyst has been recycled over 50 times and is still fully active. The success was attributed to the discovery of hidden reactivity, which was observed for the first time as an autoacceleration in the reaction rate during kinetic investigations. The research also provided concrete evidence supporting the conclusion that radical intermediates played crucial roles in the catalytic cycle by having a determinative impact on the overall reaction rate.

Adhesion performance of furfurylated plywood bonded with polyurethane and epoxy adhesives

Utilizing furfurylated veneers to improve the quality of plywood has not been extensively studied before. This study investigated the characteristics of plywood made from furfurylated rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) veneers at various modification levels. Rubberwood veneers were first impregnated with furfuryl alcohol (FA) at different concentrations (40%, 70%, and 100%) with 3% citric acid as a catalyst for FA polymerization at 103 °C. The weight percent gain (WPG), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and functional groups of the furfurylated veneers were analyzed. The furfurylated veneers were then used to form three layers of plywood using either polyurethane (PU) or epoxy resin as the adhesive. Various physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of the furfurylated plywood were characterized. The WPG of the veneers impregnated with 40%, 70%, and 100% FA were on average 32.2%, 54.1%, and 67.9%, respectively. DMA and ATR-FTIR analyses revealed differences between the control veneers and the furfurylated veneers. Furfurylation slightly decreased the bonding strength of PU-bonded plywood at 100% FA, while the epoxy-bonded plywood remained unchanged at all FA concentrations. Furfurylation reduced the delamination values of plywood, particularly for treatments with 40% and 100% FA. Moreover, the use of 100% FA reduced the thickness swelling, water absorption, and leaching values of the plywood after seven days of water immersion by 43.6%, 73.9%, and 73.8% with PU adhesive, and by 85.7%, 69.6%, and 80.2% with epoxy adhesive, respectively. The formation of furfurylated plywood in this study opens potential opportunities for using low-quality veneers from fast-growing wood species as substitutes for high-quality veneers from natural forests.

Ligand‐Directed Assembly of Multimetallic Aluminum Complexes: Synthesis, Structure and ROP Catalysis

AbstractMultinuclear aluminum complexes are useful catalysts for the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ϵ‐caprolactone (ϵ‐CL), often outperforming monometallic analogues in the production of biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL). These complexes require control over metal‐metal distance, ligand structure, and substituents. Herein, we report on the preparation of mono‐, bi‐, and octametallic aluminum complexes through direct chelation of multidentate bis(phosphino)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐diamino ligands Me2C[CH2NHR2P(O)]2; R=Ph(1), iPr(2), tBu(3). Ligands 1–3 yielded bimetallic complexes with two types of coordination pockets, as well as bimetallic systems with identical coordination environments. In addition to the diversity of structural patterns within the present series, the catalytic performances of [AlR2{κ2‐N,N’,–(Me2C{CH2NPh2P(O)}2}‐(κ2‐O,O’‐AlR2)] (R=Me(4), Et(5), iBu(6)) outperformed that of the monometallic [AlEt2{κ2‐O,O’‐(Me2C(CH2NtBu2P(O))2H} (10), showing controlled and immortal ROP of ϵ‐CL in the presence of BnOH as co‐initiator. DFT calculations suggest that the primary active site for 4–6 is the N−Al–N center. Gaining insight into the underlying principles that lead to high activity and controlled production of PCL in bimetallic systems can help design tailor‐made complexes with enhanced performance.

Ethylene polymerization catalyzed by salicylaldimine Fe or Cr complexes: A DFT study of the metal effects

Salicylaldimine transition metal catalysts are of great interest in the field of ethylene polymerization. Especially, the late transition metal Fe and the middle transition metal Cr complexes exhibited completely different catalytic behaviors. We carried out systematic DFT studies to understand the catalytic mechanism in detail and revealed the intriguing metal effect on ethylene polymerization in propagation, β-hydride elimination, and termination stages. The metal centers would lead to dissociative or associative insertion mechanisms in the chain propagation stage due to their preference for different coordination features. The metal centers also significantly influence the β-hydride elimination, i.e., the late transition metal Fe center much prefers the β-hydride elimination over the middle transition metal Cr, due to the stronger hydride affinity of the Fe center than that of the Cr center. Therefore, salicylaldimine Fe produces a highly branched product, however, salicylaldimine Cr prevents β-hydride elimination producing linear high-density polyethylene. On the other hand, the higher hydride affinity of the Fe center leads to an easy chain transfer, resulting in only oligomer for salicylaldimine Fe systems. In contrast, the chain transfer step is difficult for the Cr center, leading to a successful ethylene polymerization for the salicylaldimine Cr system. These mechanistic insights into the metal center effects well explain the distinct ethylene polymerization behaviors for salicylaldimine Fe and Cr systems, providing helpful guidelines for the design of structure-controllable polymerization catalysts with different metal centers.

Geometrically Constrained Cofacial Bi-Titanium Olefin Polymerization Catalysts: Tuning and Enhancing Comonomer Incorporation Density

Geometrically Constrained Cofacial Bi-Titanium Olefin Polymerization Catalysts: Tuning and Enhancing Comonomer Incorporation Density

Structural optimization of pyridine quinoxaline cobalt (II) catalysts for MMA polymerization based on systematical SCSC transformation study

The Schiff base condensation reaction was adopted to synthesize a series of pyridine-based quinoxaline ligands (L1, L2, L3, L4) using 2-acetylpyridine and 1,2-phenylenediamine aromatic amines with different substituents of –OCH3, –F, -Cl, -Br. Then, four symmetrical dinuclear metal complexes (1–4) were obtained by coordination reaction of the synthesized ligands with CoCl2·6H2O, and six unexpectedly systematic and novel solvent-involved asymmetric mononuclear metal complexes (1A-4A, 3B, 4B) were obtained during single crystals cultivating by solvent diffusion method. The microscopic composition of the complexes were proved by a series of characterizations such as elemental analysis, IR and UV–vis. At the same time, by improving the single crystal culture technology, full crystal sample of compounds was obtained and X-ray single crystal diffraction showed a rare single crystal to single crystal structure transition (SCSC) phenomenon in this study. Furthermore, the catalytic properties of the complexes for MMA polymerization was explored, it was found that the catalytic activity of complexes 1–4 containing different types of substituents on pyridyl quinoxaline ligand was in the order of 1 < 2 <3 < 4, indicating that the complex with an electron-withdrawing substituent showed the higher activity than that of electron-donating substituent. Complexes 1A-4A, 3B and 4B showed higher catalytic activity in MMA polymerization than 1–4, which confirmed that the catalytic activity of mononuclear complexes were generally higher than that of binuclear complexes.

Understanding the Effect of M(III) Choice in Heterodinuclear Polymerization Catalysts.

The ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of epoxides with CO2 or anhydrides is a promising strategy to produce sustainable polycarbonates and polyesters. Currently, most catalysts are reliant on scarce and expensive cobalt as the active center, while more abundant aluminum and iron catalysts often suffer from lower activities. Here, two novel heterodinuclear catalysts, featuring abundant Al(III), Fe(III), and K(I) active centers, are synthesized, and their performance in the polymerization of four different monomer combinations is compared to that of their Co(III) analogue. The novel Al(III)K(I) catalyst exhibits outstanding activities in the cyclohexane oxide (CHO)/CO2 ROCOP, and at 1 bar CO2 pressure it is the fastest aluminum-based catalyst reported to date. The M(III) site electronics for all three catalysts, Al(III)K(I), Fe(III)K(I), and Co(III)K(I), are measured using IR and NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. A correlation between M(III) electron density and catalytic activity is revealed and, based on the established structure-activity relationship, recommendations for the future catalyst design of abundant Al(III)- and Fe(III)-based catalysts are made. The catalytic performances of both Al(III)K(I) and Fe(III)K(I) are further contextualized against the relative elemental abundance and cost. On the balance of performance, abundance, and cost, the Al(III)K(I) complex is the better catalyst for the carbon dioxide/epoxide ROCOP, while Fe(III)K(I) is preferable for anhydride/epoxide ROCOP.

Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized Solid Polymer Catalyst from Crude Cashew Nut Shell Liquid: Synthesis of Tetra(indolyl)methanes and Bis(indolyl)methanes from Xylochemicals

Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized Solid Polymer Catalyst from Crude Cashew Nut Shell Liquid: Synthesis of Tetra(indolyl)methanes and Bis(indolyl)methanes from Xylochemicals

Robust Y and Lu TrenSal catalysts for ring-opening polymerisation

Mono and bimetallic cage-like TrenSal complexes based on rare-earth metals Y and Lu were synthesised and fully characterised by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, multinuclear NMR and IR spectroscopy, and MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry. These robust and air-stable complexes are active catalysts for the ring-opening polymerisation of rac-lactide. While the polymerisation activity is low, the complexes remain active in air using unpurified monomers, and are highly unusual examples of metal–organic cages applied in polymerisation. MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry studies of the obtained polymers revealed H and OBn end-capped chains suggesting that an ‘activated monomer’ mechanism predominates when BnOH is used as an exogenous initiator.

Alkyl initiated ring opening polymerization of lactide by indium complexes supported by NCN pincer ligands.

Indium-alkyl NCN pincer complexes supported by amine and imine donors are active catalysts for the ring opening polymerization of lactide. The amine indium complexes are significantly more active for polymerization due to the decoordination of the amine donors at higher temperatures. Solid state structures of the imine and amine indium complexes indicate that the imine-indium bonds are stronger than the analogous amine-indium bonds. Higher molecular weight polymers that were not observable by MALDI-TOF were shown to be linear by comparing their intrinsic viscocities with those of known linear polymers. The alkyl indium complexes are more active than the analogous alkyl aluminum complexes but are prone to transesterification reactions.

The role of Lewis acidity in bis(β-diketonate)zirconium(IV) complexes as catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone

Poly(δ-valerolactone) (PVL) is a polymer that has garnered significant researcher interest due to its intriguing features and prospective uses across numerous domains, particularly in medicine. This work aimed to assess the influence of the Lewis acidity of the bis(β-diketonate)Zr catalyst complex on the ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone. The ligand in the compound contains an electron-donating group, specifically the methyl group (2a). Furthermore, electron-withdrawing groups employed include phenyl (2b–2c) and trifluoromethyl groups (2d). Characterization data indicate that PVL has been successfully synthesized with a bis(β-diketonate)Zr complex catalyst. The hierarchy of Lewis acid strength for the bis(β-diketonate)Zr complex is 2c > 2b > 2d ≫ 2a. The sequence of PVL DP from highest to lowest is 2b, 2c, 2d and 2a. Nonetheless, the elevated Lewis acidity of complex 2c does not provide PVL with the greatest degree of polymerization. The steric barrier of complex 2c, which contains two phenyl groups, is larger than that in complex 2b. Consequently, the coordination process of the nucleophilic monomer with the electrophilic zirconium central atom becomes increasingly difficult.

Late Transition Metal Olefin Polymerization Catalysts Derived from 8-Arylnaphthylamines

Late transition metal catalysts represent a significant class of olefin polymerization catalysts that have played an essential role in advancing the polyolefin industry owing to their highly tunable ligands and low oxophilicity. A key feature for the design of late transition metal catalysts lies in the steric bulk of the o-aryl substituents. Bulky 8-arylnaphthylamines have emerged as a promising aniline candidate for conducting high-performance catalysts by introducing axially steric hindrance around the metal center. This review focuses on late transition metal (Ni, Pd, Fe) catalysts derived from 8-arylnaphthylamines, surveying their synthesis, structural features, and catalytic applications in olefin (co)polymerizations. Additionally, the relationship between catalyst structure and catalytic performance is discussed, highlighting how these unique ligand systems influence polymerization activity, molecular weight, and polymer branching.

The efficient metal- and halogen-free polymer catalyst for the intensification on CO2 cycloaddition

An environmentally friendly polymer catalyst (PAS) was synthesized via inverse emulsion polymerization using acrylic acid (AA) and 1-vinyl imidazole (VI) as monomers. The excellent catalytic activity of PAS was attributed to the synergistic effects of the carboxyl groups (-COOH) as hydrogen bond donors and N-heterocyclic carbene (NHCs) as electron donor, as well as the swelling properties of the polymer, which can enrich the substrate into the polymer network, increasing the contact between the substrate and active sites. Characterization results from thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) showed that the excessive imidazole addition disrupted the polymer's chain-like structure, significantly reducing its swelling properties. And, the catalytic performance is influenced by both the amount of imidazole in PAS and the swelling properties of the polymer. Finally, the reaction mechanism of the CO2 cycloaddition reaction catalyzed by PAS was proposed and validated through density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Direct Synthesis of Artificial Esterase through Molecular Imprinting Using a Substrate-Mimicking Acylthiourea Template.

Most reported artificial esterases hydrolyze only activated esters. We here report a one-pot synthesis of artificial esterases via molecular imprinting. An acylthiourea template hydrogen bonds with 4-vinylbenzoic acid and coordinates to a polymerizable zinc complex inside a cross-linkable surfactant micelle. Double cross-linking of the micelle yields a polymeric nanoparticle catalyst that mimics a metalloenzyme to activate a water molecule for nucleophilic attack on the bound ester. The catalyst hydrolyzes both activated and unactivated esters under mild conditions with selectivity.

Synthesis, Structure, and Actual Applications of Double Metal Cyanide Catalysts.

Double metal cyanide (DMC) complexes represent a unique family of materials with an open framework structure. The main current application of these complexes in chemical industry is their use as catalysts (DMCCs) of the ring-opening polymerization of propylene oxide (PO), yielding branched polyols, highly demanded in production of polyurethanes and surfactants. The actual problem of chemical fixing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere gave new impetus to the development of DMCCs, which turned out to be effective in oxirane/CO2 copolymerization. In recent years, new types and formulations of DMCCs were created, so that greater understanding of the reaction mechanisms was achieved and new fields of catalytic applications were found. In the present review, we summarized background and actual information about the synthesis, structure, and mechanisms of the action of DMCCs, as well as their application in the development of new materials and fine chemicals.

Highly Active Immobilized Catalyst for Ethylene Polymerization: Neutral Single Site Y(III) Complex Bearing Bulky Silylallyl Ligand.

Exploring the surface organometallic chemistry on silica of highly electrophilic yttrium complexes is a relatively uncommon endeavor, particularly when focusing on tris-alkyl complexes characterized by Y-C σ-alkyl bonds. A drawback with this class of complexes once grafted on silica, is the frequent occurrence of alkyl transfer by ring opening of siloxane groups, resulting in a mixture of species. Herein, we employed a more stable homoleptic yttrium allyl complex bearing bulky η3-1,3-bis(trimethylsilyl)allyl ligand to limit this transfer reaction. This strategy has been validated by comparing the reactivity between [Y{ η3-1,3-C3H3(SiMe3)2}3] and [Y(o-CH2PhNMe2)3] with SiO2-700, where the undesired alkyl transfer reaction occurred for [Y(o-CH2PhNMe2)3] leading to a bipodal [(≡SiO)2Y(o-CH2PhNMe2)] as major surface species, 2, while [Y{ η 3-1,3-C3H3(SiMe3)2}3] resulted selectively in a monopodal species, [(≡SiO)Y{η3-1,3-C3H3(SiMe3)2}2], 1. The materials obtained were characterized by DRIFT, solid state NMR, mass balance analysis and EXAFS. Catalyst 1 showed high activity compared to 2 in ethylene polymerization. The catalytic performance of this neutral catalyst 1 was extended to pre-industrial scale in the presence of hydrogen and 1-hexene. An unprecedented activity, up to 7400 gPE gcat -1 h-1 was obtained even with very low concentration of scavenger AliBu3 (TIBA/Y=1.2). The obtained HDPE exhibited desired spherical particle morphology with broad molar mass distribution.

Catalytic Installation of Primary Amines Onto Polyolefins for Oligomer Valorization.

Polymerization of primary amine-containing monomers is challenging because the amine inhibits polymerization catalyst activity. An alternative approach to access primary amine functionalized polymers is postpolymerization modification. To this end, the hydroaminoalkylation of vinyl-terminated polyolefins with N-(trimethylsilyl)benzylamine is used to prepare primary amine-terminated polyolefins, with the free primary amine substituent being revealed upon hydrolytic work up. These materials are spectroscopically characterized, and an investigation of thermal properties by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis is completed. These results show that the primary amine substituent increases the glass transition temperature and improves thermal stability. The reactive primary amine functionality is used in the photo-oxidative dimerization of polyolefins to demonstrate how this elusive functionality can be applied in oligomer valorization.

Alkaline ILs Supported onto Mesoporous Polymeric 3D Spheres for Catalytic Synthesizing Dimethyl Carbonate in Transesterification

AbstractA novel type of alkyl amine‐based ILs [Et3N]+[OH]− (triethylammonium hydroxide) behaving strong alkali property have been chemically immobilized onto the polymeric 3D spheres with mesoporous structures, spherical morphology and more uniformed active species onto them to form alkali ILs supported 3D polymeric catalysts(3DPs‐ILsOH), which was synthesized via a combined method of substitution with its subsequent anion unites’ exchanging process. The supported 3DPs‐ILsOH catalyzed the transesterification of ethylene carbonate (EC) with methanol, which preferred to exhibit the excellent, efficient activities. At milder reaction temperature of 70 °C within 4.0 h, the conversion of EC achieved to 83.3 % with 99.5 % selectivity of dimethyl carbonate (DMC). Under the same reaction conditions, this type of catalysts could be recovered by a simple filtration and was reused eight times without obvious losing catalytic activities and hardly without any leaching of catalytic species. Its’ catalytic process for generating the chemical of DMC from the CO2 fixation material of EC was studied by using the in‐situ FTIR, and was further verified that the synergetic function roles of triethyl amino cations units with OH− anion units onto the supported catalysts might be one of the important reasons for progressing DMC's yields and its’ catalytic efficiency in transesterification reaction.

Organic and Metal–Organic Polymer-Based Catalysts—Enfant Terrible Companions or Good Assistants?

This overview provides insights into organic and metal–organic polymer (OMOP) catalysts aimed at processes carried out in the liquid phase. Various types of polymers are discussed, including vinyl (various functional poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) and perfluorinated functionalized hydrocarbons, e.g., Nafion), condensation (polyesters, -amides, -anilines, -imides), and additional (polyurethanes, and polyureas, polybenzimidazoles, polyporphyrins), prepared from organometal monomers. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), and their composites represent a significant class of OMOP catalysts. Following this, the preparation, characterization, and application of dispersed metal catalysts are discussed. Key catalytic processes such as alkylation—used in large-scale applications like the production of alkyl-tert-butyl ether and bisphenol A—as well as reduction, oxidation, and other reactions, are highlighted. The versatile properties of COFs and MOFs, including well-defined nanometer-scale pores, large surface areas, and excellent chemisorption capabilities, make them highly promising for chemical, electrochemical, and photocatalytic applications. Particular emphasis is placed on their potential for CO2 treatment. However, a notable drawback of COF- and MOF-based catalysts is their relatively low stability in both alkaline and acidic environments, as well as their high cost. A special part is devoted to deactivation and the disposal of the used/deactivated catalysts, emphasizing the importance of separating heavy metals from catalysts. The conclusion provides guidance on selecting and developing OMOP-based catalysts.

Organocatalysts for L-Lactide polymerization: 2-alkyl- and 2-aryl-1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidines

A series of 2-alkyl- and 2-aryl-1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine derivatives were synthesized, and their application in L-Lactide (LA) polymerization was studied. Bn-TMG was the best catalyst in LA polymerization ( [Bn-TMG] = 5 mM, conversion = 94 % after 4 h at 25 °C) compared to other monoguanidine derivatives. In addition, the catalytic activities of C2-dTMG exhibited higher catalytic activity than Bn-TMG, nBu-TMG (monoguanidine derivatives), and C3-dTMG (diguanidine derivative). Density functional theory calculations revealed that Bn-TMG deprotonated benzyl alcohol enhanced benzyl alcohol's initiation ability to LA, and the protonated Bn-TMG activated LA ring-opening process by interacting with the ether oxygen atom of LA. Bn-TMG presented excellent catalytic activity and controllability for LA polymerization at 25 °C.