5210
Organometallics 2006, 25, 5210-5212
Preparation and Characterization of a Zwitterionic
(Iminopyrrolyl)zirconium Complex with Benzylaluminate Anion and
Its Catalytic Performance for 1-Hexene Polymerization
Hayato Tsurugi and Kazushi Mashima*
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka UniVersity,
Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
ReceiVed August 1, 2006
Summary: An alkyl abstraction from (DIP-pyr)Zr(CH2Ph)3
(DIP-pyr ) 2-{N-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)iminomethyl}pyrrolyl)
using Al(C6F5)3 affords a zwitterionic dibenzyl complex, [(DIP-
pyr)Zr(CH2Ph)2][η6-PhCH2Al(C6F5)3] (2), which becomes an
actiVe catalyst for 1-hexene polymerization. The similar reaction
by using B(C6F5)3 affords a less stable adduct. The more stable
character of 2 is ascribed to the tight ion-pair formation between
the zirconium cation and the benzyl aluminate anion.
transfer from aluminum to zirconium.6 Another feature of
the reaction between Al(C6F5)3 and dimethyl zirconocene is
that the alane adduct forms a more tightly bound ion pair.
Landis and his co-workers revealed by the X-ray analyses of
(C5Me4H)2ZrCH3{µ-CH3M(C6F5)3} (M ) B, Al) that the bond
distance of Zr-(CH3)bridge was shorter for the alane adduct (2.51
Å) than for the borane adduct (Zr-(CH3)bridge
: 2.60 Å),
indicating tight ion-pair formation for the Al(C6F5)3 adduct.7
Marks et al. also reported a similar trend by the structural and
thermochemical analyses of B(C6F5)3- and Al(C6F5)3-derived
metallocenium ion pairs.5o
The weakly coordinating anions of R-olefin polymerization
catalysts have an important role as counterparts of the cationic
early transition metal alkyl complexes, and the anions affect
the molecular weight, branching, and microstructure of the
resulting polyolefins.1 The use of perfluoroaryl borate counter-
anions in metallocene catalysts enhances not only the thermal
stability but also the catalytic activity of cationic alkyl species.2
Moreover, the interaction between metallocene precursors and
Lewis acidic organoboranes was elucidated by several research
groups.3 In sharp contrast, the interaction between organoalane,
Al(C6F5)3,4 and alkyl complexes of metallocene and nonmet-
allocene catalyst precursors has attracted less attention.5 Boch-
mann et al. reported that the mixture of Cp2ZrMe2 and Al(C6F5)3
produced a less stable zwitterionic adduct than that of Cp2ZrMe2
and B(C6F5)3, due to the facile decomposition by the C6F5 group
Bochmann, Fujita, Okuda, and our group independently
reported the preparation and R-olefin polymerization activities
of group 4 metal iminopyrrolyl complexes.8 Our continuing
efforts to synthesize iminopyrrolyl complexes of group 4 metals
(5) (a) Cowley, A. H.; Hair, G. S.; McBurnett, B. G.; Jones, R. A. Chem.
Commun. 1999, 437. (b) Vanka, K.; Chan, M. S. W.; Pye, C. C.; Ziegler,
T. Organometallics 2000, 19, 1841. (c) Chen, E. Y.-X.; Kruper, W. J.; Roof,
G.; Wilson, D. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 745. (d) Jin, J.; Chen, E.
Y.-X. Organometallics 2002, 21, 13. (e) Feng, S.; Roof, G. R.; Chen, E.
Y.-X. Organometallics 2002, 21, 832. (f) Jin, J.; Wilson, D. R.; Chen, E.
Y.-X. Chem. Commun. 2002, 708. (g) Bolig, A. D.; Chen, E. Y.-X. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 5612. (h) Kumar, K. R.; Hall, C.; Penciu, A.; Drewitt,
M. J.; Mcinenly, P. J.; Baird, M. C. J. Polym. Sci, A: Polym. Chem. 2002,
40, 3302. (i) Jin, J.; Mariott, W. R.; Chen, E. Y.-X. J. Polym. Sci, A: Polym.
Chem. 2003, 41, 3132. (j) Chen, E. Y.-X.; Cooney, M. J. J. Am. Chem.
Soc. 2003, 125, 7150. (k) Rodriguez-Delgado, A.; Chen, E. Y.-X. Inorg.
Chim. Acta 2004, 357, 3911. (l) Chen, E. Y.-X. J. Polym. Sci, A: Polym.
Chem. 2004, 42, 3395. (m) Bolig, A. D.; Chen, E. Y.-X. J. Am. Chem.
Soc. 2004, 126, 4897. (n) Rodriguez-Delgado, A.; Chen, E. Y.-X. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 961. (o) Stahl, N. G.; Salata, M. R.; Marks, T. J. J.
Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 10898.
Fax: 81-6-6850-6296.
(1) (a) Piers, W. E.; Chivers, T. Chem. Soc. ReV. 1997, 26, 345. (b) Chen,
E. Y.-X.; Marks, T. J. Chem. ReV. 2000, 100, 1391. (c) Pedeutour, J.;
Radhakrishnam, K.; Cramail, H.; Deffieux, A. Macromol. Rapid. Commun.
2001, 22, 1095.
(2) (a) Turner, H. W.; Hlatky, G. G. Eur. Patent Appl. 0,277,003, 1988.
(b) Hlatky, G. G.; Turner, H. W.; Eckman, R. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989,
111, 2728. (c) Yang, X.; Stern, C. L.; Marks, T. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1991,
113, 3623. (d) Yang, X.; Stern, C. L.; Marks, T. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1994,
116, 10015. (e) Ewen, J. A.; Elder, M. J. Eur. Patent Appl. 0,427,697, 1991.
(3) (a) Yang, X.; Stern, C. L.; Marks, T. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1994,
116, 10015. (b) Chen, Y.-X., Stern, C. L.; Yang, S.; Marks, T. J. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 12451. (c) Deck, P. A.; Beswick, C. L.; Marks, T.
J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 1772. (d) Metz, M. V.; Schwartz, D. J.;
Stern, C. L.; Nickias, P. N.; Marks, T. J. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2000, 39,
1312. (e) Chen, M.-C.; Roberts, J. A. S.; Marks, T. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2004, 126, 4605. (f) Jordan, R. F.; Dasher, W. E.; Echols, S. F. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 1986, 108, 1718. (g) Jordan, R. F.; Bajgur, C. S.; Willett, R.;
Scott, B. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1986, 108, 7410. (h) Wu, Z.; Jordan, R. F. J.
Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 5867. (i) Bochmann, M.; Lancaster, S. J.;
Hursthouse, M. B.; Malik, K. M. A. Organometallics 1994, 13, 2235. (j)
Zhou, J.; Lancaster, S. J.; Walker, D. A.; Beck, S.; Thornton-Pett, M.;
Bochmann, M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 223.
(4) (a) Belgardt, T.; Storre, J.; Roesky, H. W.; Noltemeyer, M.; Schmidt,
H.-G. Inorg. Chem. 1995, 34, 3821. (b) Lee, C. H.; Lee, S. J.; Park, J. W.;
Kim, K. H.; Lee, B. Y.; Oh, J. S. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 1998, 132, 231.
(c) Hair, G. S.; Cowley, A. H.; Jones, R. A.; McBurnett, B. G.; Voigt, A.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 4922. (d) Klosin, J.; Roof, G. R.; Chen, E.
Y.-X.; Abboud, K. A. Organometallics 2000, 19, 4684. (e) Chakraborty,
D.; Chen, E. Y.-X. Inorg. Chem. Commun. 2002, 5, 698. (f) Chakraborty,
D.; Chen. E. Y.-X. Organometallics 2003, 22, 207.
(6) Bochmann, M.; Sarsfield, M. J. Organometallics 1998, 17, 5908.
(7) Liu, Z.; Somsook, E.; Landis, C. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123,
2915.
(8) (a) For a review of iminopyrrolyl complexes: Mashima, K.; Tsurugi,
H. J. Organomet. Chem. 2005, 690, 4414. For group 4 metal iminopyrrolyl
complexes; use of Ti: (b) Yoshida, Y.; Matsui, S.; Takagi, Y.; Mitani, M.;
Nitabaru, M.; Nakano, T.; Tanaka, H.; Fujita, T. Chem. Lett. 2000, 29,
1270. (c) Yoshida, Y.; Matsui, S.; Takagi, Y.; Mitani, M.; Nakano, T.;
Tanaka, H.; Kashiwa, N.; Fujita, T. Organometallics 2001, 20, 4793. (d)
Yoshida, Y.; Saito, J.; Mitani, M.; Takagi, Y.; Matsui, S.; Ishii, S.; Nakano,
T.; Kashiwa, N.; Fujita, T. Chem. Commun. 2002, 1298. (e) Yoshida, Y.;
Mohri, J.; Ishii, S.; Mitani, M.; Saito, J.; Matsui, S.; Makio, H.; Nakano,
T.; Tanaka, H.; Onda, M.; Yamamoto, Y.; Mizuno, A.; Fujita, T. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 12023. (f) Yoshida, Y.; Matsui, S.; Fujita, T. J.
Organomet. Chem. 2005, 690, 4382. Use of Zr and Hf: (g) Dawson, D.
M.; Walker, D. A.; Thornton-Pett, M.; Bochmann, M. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton
Trans. 2000, 459. (h) Matsuo, Y.; Mashima, K.; Tani, K. Chem. Lett. 2000,
29, 1114. (i) Tsurugi, H.; Yamagata, T.; Tani, K.; Mashima, K. Chem. Lett.
2003, 32, 756. (j) Matsui, S.; Spaniol, T. P.; Takagi, Y.; Yoshida, Y.; Okuda,
J. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 2002, 4529. (k) Matsui, S.; Yoshida, Y.;
Takagi, Y.; Spaniol, T. P.; Okuda, J. J. Organomet. Chem. 2004, 689, 1155.
(l) Yasumoto, T.; Yamagata, T.; Mashima, K. Organometallics 2005, 24,
3375. (m) Tsurugi, H.; Matsuo, Y.; Mashima, K. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem.
2006, 254, 131.
10.1021/om060692l CCC: $33.50 © 2006 American Chemical Society
Publication on Web 09/21/2006