PENTALENE AND METAL PENTALENE COMPOUNDS - Isis Project No 2475
Introduction
Isis Innovation, the technology transfer company of the University of Oxford, releases the synthesis of a versatile range of organic ligands that can be used to make a diverse array of multi-functional metal catalysts.
Background
The cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand has remained the prevalent moiety in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis since the 1960s. Complexes of the permethylated derivative (Cp*) showed huge improvement in stability, solubility and crystallisability; leading to catalysts capable of operating over wider temperature ranges and at higher solution loadings thus substantially increasing process activity.
The Oxford Invention
Catalysts based on the pentalene (Pn) ring system (a ‘double-Cp’ equivalent) are hitherto unknown (Figure 1). Oxford scientists have overcome synthetic difficulties and now propose a rational, solution-phase route to substituted Pn ligands and their complexes.
Figure 1 |
Figure 2 |
Comemrcialisation Opportunity
This technology offers an opportunity to secure a foothold in an exciting, expanding field. Pn complexes show a plethora of new binding modes and facilitate kinetically unfavourable chemical transformations such as C-C & C-H bond formation, N2 reduction to NH3 and hydrogenations. Additionally, the Pn skeleton provides a platform to bind two or more metals (Figure 2) in complexes that are expected to display catalytic properties unavailable to mononuclear systems. Furthermore, this chemistry leads to the possibility of novel advanced materials such as organometallic polymers with unique electrical and magnetic properties.
Patent Status
This work is the subject of patent application, and Isis would like to talk to companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity that this represents. Please contact the Isis Project Manager to discuss this further.
Keywords:
Pentalene, bimetallic complexesm, ploymertisation catalyst, organometallic compounds, Ziegler natta catalyst, metallocenes, cyclopentadienyl analogue.
Request Further Information: Project Number 2475 - Pentalenes