AM2Net Advanced Macromolecular Materials By Transition Metal Catalysis; Group 1: "New Materials by Unpolar / Polar Monomer Combinations"; New Donor-ligand Containing Homogeneous Catalysts for Alkene Copolymerization Reactions

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Gerhard Erker
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2002 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5372341

The formation of new homogeneous catalysts for 1-alkene polymerization and for alkene copolymerizations, especially with polar or functionalized co-monomers, requires the development of novel ligand frameworks and the use of specially suited activator components. In this project we want to develop synthetic routes to [3]ferrocenophane and C3-ansa-group 4 metallocene ligand systems bearing pairs of suitable donor substituents for their use as rigid chelate ligands. In this way, novel late transition metal catalysts (Ni, Pd) for 1-alkene/CO copolymerization will be formed, as well as early/late heterobimetallic catalysts, where intramolecular chain transfer is hoped to influence the copolymerization processes to be carried out at these systems after suitable activation. Both synthetic series will rely on a novel Mannich-type carbon-carbon coupling reaction that can be carried out in the ligand sphere of even very sensitive organometallic systems. A variant of this reaction type will be used to prepare a novel type of "constrained geometry" catalysts, that is expected to be of especial interest in olefin copolymerization catalysis.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants