Volume 2020, Issue 17 p. 1589-1595
Full Paper

MMA Polymerization with Group 4 Alkyl-Free 14-Electron d0 Species

Addis M. Londaitsbehere

Addis M. Londaitsbehere

Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigación en Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain

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María Sudupe

María Sudupe

Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigación en Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain

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Marta E. G. Mosquera

Marta E. G. Mosquera

Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigación en Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain

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Tomás Cuenca

Tomás Cuenca

Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigación en Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain

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Jesús Cano

Corresponding Author

Jesús Cano

Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigación en Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain

Departamento de Química Orgánica y Química Inorgánica, Instituto de Investigación en Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28805- Alcalá de Henares, Spain

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 19 February 2020
Citations: 4

Graphical Abstract

Doubly silylamido-bridged cyclopentadienyl group 4 metal complexes can polymerize MMA through a pathway reaction that does not match with other previously proposed mechanisms for analogous alkyl-free 14-electron d0 group 4 cationic species. Probably the participation of ion-pairs or FLP, as intermediates, could be considered.

Abstract

Cationic 1,2 and 1,3 doubly constrained geometry di(silylamido)cyclopentadienyl zirconium complexes, whilst being group 4 alkyl-free 14-electron d0 species, promote the polymerization of MMA. Different cocatalysts such as B(C6F5)3, Al(C6F5)3 and [CPh3][B(C6F5)4] have been employed to generate the catalytic species in order to collect experimental evidence to propose the polymerization mechanism that these cationic compounds may follow. By systematically studying the role of the active species, this study establishes that the mechanism may be different from the traditional coordination-addition mechanism proposed for group 4 metal complexes in MMA polymerizations.