Synthesis of Tridentate (PCN) Ligands for the Development of Organometallic Catalysts

Abstract

Catalysis plays a great role in the world today with one of the most prominent industries being the polymers industry. Linear alpha olefins (LAO’s) are short to long chain carbon molecules whose uses range from plastics to motor oils to synthetic lubricants. This project aims to develop a ligand that can direct a metal complex to selectively catalyze the formation of lucrative short chain linear alpha olefins from ethylene.1-5 The target ligand is a tridentate ligand that uses phosphorous, carbon, and nitrogen to bind to the transition metal of choice and features a benzimidazole backbone. This ligand design is a continuation of research initiated in the Dr. Carney’s group at UWEC.6,7 After synthesis and characterization of this ligand, the obtained organometallic complex is anticipated to function as an effective catalyst. Presented here are the first synthetic steps of this project to obtain the free pre-ligand. This synthesis utilizes a combination of open-to-air and air-sensitive techniques. Future work is planned to complete the synthesis of the metal complex and test the catalytic ability for the selectivity of the desired LAO’s.