title: Reaction of vinyl chloride with late transition metal olefin polymerization catalysts.
abstract: The reactions of vinyl chloride (VC) with representative late metal, single-site olefin dimerization and polymerization catalysts have been investigated. VC coordinates more weakly than ethylene or propylene to the simple catalyst (Me(2)bipy)PdMe(+) (Me(2)bipy = 4,4'-Me(2)-2,2'-bipyridine). Insertion rates of (Me(2)bipy)Pd(Me)(olefin)(+) species vary in the order VC > ethylene > propylene. The VC complexes (Me(2)bipy)Pd(Me)(VC)(+) and (alpha-diimine)Pd(Me)(VC)(+) (alpha-diimine = (2,6-(i)Pr(2)[bond]C(6)H(3))N[double bond]CMeCMe[double bond]N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)[bond]C(6)H(3))) undergo net 1,2 VC insertion and beta-Cl elimination to yield Pd[bond]Cl species and propylene. Analogous chemistry occurs for (pyridine-bisimine)MCl(2)/MAO catalysts (M = Fe, Co; pyridine-bisimine = 2,6-[(2,6-(i)Pr(2)[bond]C(6)H(3))N[double bond]CMe](2)-pyridine) and for neutral (sal)Ni(Ph)PPh(3) and (P[bond]O)Ni(Ph)PPh(3) catalysts (sal = 2-[C(H)[double bond]N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3))]-6-Ph-phenoxide; P[bond]O = [Ph(2)PC(SO(3)Na)[double bond]C(p-tol)O]), although the initial metal alkyl VC adducts were not detected in these cases. These results show that the L(n)MCH(2)CHClR species formed by VC insertion into the active species of late metal olefin polymerization catalysts undergo rapid beta-Cl elimination which precludes VC polymerization. Termination of chain growth by beta-Cl elimination is the most significant obstacle to metal-catalyzed insertion polymerization of VC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5735 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60037, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Stockland
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Jordan