Exploiting Multimetallic Cooperativity in the Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclic Esters and Ethers.

The use of multimetallic complexes is a rapidly advancing route to enhance catalyst performance in the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters and ethers. Multimetallic catalysts often outperform their monometallic analogues in terms of reactivity and/or polymerization control, and these improvements are typically attributed to "multimetallic cooperativity". Yet the origins of multimetallic cooperativity often remain unclear. This review explores the key factors underpinning multimetallic cooperativity, including metal-metal distances, the flexibility, electronics and conformation of the ligand framework, and the coordination environment of the metal centers. Emerging trends are discussed to provide insights into why cooperativity occurs and how to harness cooperativity for the development of highly efficient multimetallic catalysts.

Correction: Main group metal polymerisation catalysts.

Correction for 'Main group metal polymerisation catalysts' by Eszter Fazekas et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2022, 51, 8793-8814, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CS00048B.

Main group metal polymerisation catalysts.

With sustainability at the forefront of current polymerisation research, the typically earth-abundant, inexpensive and low-toxicity main group metals are attractive candidates for catalysis. Main group metals have been exploited in a broad range of polymerisations, ranging from classical alkene polymerisation to the synthesis of new bio-derived and degradable polyesters and polycarbonates via ring-opening polymerisation and ring-opening copolymerisation. This tutorial review highlights efficient polymerisation catalysts based on Group 1, Group 2, Zn and Group 13 metals. Key mechanistic pathways and catalyst developments are discussed, including tailored ligand design, heterometallic cooperativity, bicomponent systems and careful selection of the polymerisation conditions, all of which can be used to fine-tune the metal Lewis acidity and the metal-alkyl bond polarity.

Cationic Zinc Hydride Catalyzed Carbon Dioxide Reduction to Formate: Deciphering Elementary Reactions, Isolation of Intermediates, and Computational Investigations.

Zinc has been an element of choice for carbon dioxide reduction in recent years. Zinc compounds have been showcased as catalysts for carbon dioxide hydrosilylation and hydroboration. The extent of carbon dioxide reduction can depend on various factors, including electrophilicity at the zinc center and the denticity of the ancillary ligands. In a few cases, the addition of Lewis acids to zinc hydride catalysts markedly influences carbon dioxide reduction. These factors have been investigated by exploring elementary reactions of carbon dioxide hydrosilylation and hydroboration by using cationic zinc hydrides bearing tetradentate tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine and tridentate N,N,N',N'',N''-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine in the presence of triphenylborane and tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane.

Electrophilic Organobismuth Dication Catalyzes Carbonyl Hydrosilylation.

Bismuth compounds are gaining importance as potential alternatives to transition-metal complexes and electron deficient lighter p-block compounds in homogeneous catalysis. Computational analysis on the two-coordinate [(Me2 NC6 H4 )Bi]2+ possessing three electrophilic sites is experimentally evidenced by the isolation of [{Me2 NC6 H4 }Bi{OP(NMe2 )3 }3 ][B(3,5-C6 H3 Cl2 )4 ]2 . These observations led us to generate dicationic organobismuth catalyst, [(Me2 NC6 H4 )Bi(L)3 ]2+ (L=aldehyde/ketone), evidenced by NMR spectroscopy in solution and by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the solid state. It efficiently catalyzes hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones resulting in silyl ethers as the only products in high yields. Our investigations support a carbonyl activation mechanism at the bismuth center followed by Si-H addition.

Organoaluminum cations for carbonyl activation.

In search of stable, yet reactive aluminum Lewis acids, we have isolated an organoaluminum cation, [(Me2NC6H4)2Al(C4H8O)2]+, coordinated with two labile tetrahydrofuran ligands. Its catalytic performance in aldehyde dimerization reveals turn-over frequencies reaching up to 6000 h-1, exceeding that of the reported main group catalysts. The cation is further demonstrated to catalyze hydroelementation of ketones. Mechanistic investigations reveal that aldehyde dimerization and ketone hydrosilylation occur through carbonyl activation.

Terminal hydridozinc cation.

A thermally stable terminal hydridozinc cation has been isolated. The nucleophilicity of the hydride ligand is demonstrated by inserting carbon dioxide, carbodiimide and benzophenone across the Zn-H bond in a facile manner. Preliminary studies on catalytic hydrosilylation using PhSiH3 indicate that the hydridozinc cation in the presence of BPh3 can selectively reduce CO2 to PhSi(OCHO)3.