Quantitatively analyzing metathesis catalyst activity and structural features in silica-supported tungsten imido-alkylidene complexes

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 May 27;137(20):6699-704. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b03344. Epub 2015 May 15.

Abstract

A broad series of fully characterized, well-defined silica-supported W metathesis catalysts with the general formula [(≡SiO)W(═NAr)(═CHCMe2R)(X)] (Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3 (AriPr), 2,6-Cl2C6H3 (ArCl), 2-CF3C6H4 (ArCF3), and C6F5 (ArF5); X = OC(CF3)3 (OtBuF9), OCMe(CF3)2 (OtBuF6), OtBu, OSi(OtBu)3, 2,5-dimethylpyrrolyl (Me2Pyr) and R = Me or Ph) was prepared by grafting bis-X substituted complexes [W(NAr)(═CHCMe2R)(X)2] on silica partially dehydroxylated at 700 °C (SiO2-(700)), and their activity was evaluated with the goal to obtain detailed structure-activity relationships. Quantitative influence of the ligand set on the activity (turnover frequency, TOF) in self-metathesis of cis-4-nonene was investigated using multivariate linear regression analysis tools. The TOF of these catalysts (activity) can be well predicted from simple steric and electronic parameters of the parent protonated ligands; it is described by the mutual contribution of the NBO charge of the nitrogen or the IR intensity of the symmetric N-H stretch of the ArNH2, corresponding to the imido ligand, together with the Sterimol B5 and pKa of HX, representing the X ligand. This quantitative and predictive structure-activity relationship analysis of well-defined heterogeneous catalysts shows that high activity is associated with the combination of X and NAr ligands of opposite electronic character and paves the way toward rational development of metathesis catalysts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alkenes / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Imides / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Organometallic Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Organometallic Compounds / chemistry*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Tungsten / chemistry*

Substances

  • Alkenes
  • Imides
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Tungsten