Metathesis Polymerization of Phenylacetylene by Tungsten Aryloxo Complexes
Catalytic activity of the tungsten aryloxo complexes WCl5(OAr) and WOCl3(OAr), where Ar = 4-t-C4H9C6H4, 2,6-(t-C4H9)2C6H3, 2,6-Cl2C6H3, 2,4,6-Cl3C6H2, and 2,4,6-Br3C6H2 in polymerization of phenylacetylene (20 °C, monomer to catalyst molar ratio = 1 000) was studied. The activity of WCl5(OAr) as unicomponent catalysts increases with increasing electron withdrawing character of the -OAr ligand. Addition of two equivalents of organotin cocatalysts (Me4Sn, Bu4Sn, Ph4Sn, Bu3SnH) to WCl5(O-C6H2Cl3-2,4 ,6) has only slight positive effect (slightly higher polymer yield and/or molecular weight of poly(phenylacetylene)s was achieved). However, in the case of WOCl3(O-C6H3Cl2-2, 6) catalyst, it enhances the activity considerably by eliminating the induction period. Poly(phenylacetylene)s prepared with the catalysts studied have weight-average molecular weight ranging from 100 000 to 200 000. They are trans-prevailing and have relatively low molar fraction of monomer units comprised in cyclohexadiene sequences (about 6%).