Cyclooctane metathesis catalyzed by silica-supported tungsten pentamethyl [(ΞSiO)W(Me) 5 ]: Distribution of macrocyclic alkanes

Abstract

Metathesis of cyclic alkanes catalyzed by the new surface complex [(ΞSiO)W(Me) 5 ] affords a wide distribution of cyclic and macrocyclic alkanes. The major products with the formula CnH2n are the result of either a ring contraction or ring expansion of cyclooctane leading to lower unsubstituted cyclic alkanes (5≤n≤7) and to an unprecedented distribution of unsubstituted macrocyclic alkanes (12≤n≤40), respectively, identified by GC/MS and by NMR spectroscopies.