Well-defined silica-supported zirconium-imido complexes mediated heterogeneous imine metathesis

Abstract

Upon prolonged thermal exposure under vacuum, a well-defined single-site surface species [(≡Si-O-)Zr(NEt2)3] (1) evolves into an ethylimido complex [(≡Si-O-)Zr(=NEt)NEt2] (2). Reactions of 2 with an imine substrate result in imido/imine (=NRi, R: Et, Ph) exchange (metathesis) with the formation of [(≡Si-O-)Zr(=NPh)NEt2] (3). Compounds 2 and 3 effectively catalyze imine/imine cross-metathesis and are thus considered as the first heterogeneous catalysts active for imine metathesis.