In this study a number of cage alkenes were synthesised and tested for activity towards ringopening
metathesis polymerisation (ROMP) with the commercially available catalysts 55 (Grubbs-I)
and 56 (Grubbs-II). The first group of monomers are derivatives of tetracyclo[6.3.0.04,1105,9]undec-2-en-6-one (1). The
synthesis of these cage alkenes are summarised in Scheme 7.1. The cage alkene 126b was synthesised by a Diels-Alder reaction between 1 and
hexachlorocyclopentadiene (9, Scheme 7.2). The geometry of 126b was determined from XRD
data. Knowledge of the geometry of 126b also established the geometry of 127 since
conformational changes during the conversion from 126b to 127 are unlikely. Synthesis of the cage alkene 125 by the cycloaddition of 9 to 118 failed. The cage alkene exo-11-
hydroxy-4,5,6,7,16,16-hexachlorohexacyclo[7.6.1.03,8.02,13.010,14]hexa-dec-5-ene (124, Scheme
7.3) could therefore not be prepared. Synthesis of 125 by reduction of 126b with various reduction
systems was not successful. Theoretical aspects of these reactions were investigated with
molecular modelling. A possible explanation for the unreactive nature of 126b towards reduction is
presented, but the lack of reactivity of 118 towards 9 eluded clear explanations. The synthesis of cage alkenes from 4-isopropylidenepentacyclo[5.4.0.02,6.03,10.05,9]-undecane-8,11-
dione (23) did not meet with much success (Scheme 7.4). Numerous synthetic methods were investigated to affect the transformation from 134a/134b to 135
(Scheme 7.5). These attempts evolved into theoretical investigations to uncover the reasons for
the observed reactivity. Possible explanations were established by considering the differences and
similarities between the geometries and electronic structures of reactive and unreactive cage
alcohols. ROMP of cage monomers based on 1 were mostly unsuccessful. Only the cage monomer 127
showed some reactivity. Endocyclic cage monomers with a tetracycloundecane (TCU) framework
showed no reactivity. The results from NMR experiments verified the experimental results.
Hexacyclo[8.4.0.02,9.03,13.04,7.04,12]tetradec-5-en-11,14-dione (3) exhibited notable ROMP reactivity.
Examination of the orbitals of the cage alkenes used in this study suggested that the reactivity of 1
and 3 could possibly be enhanced by removal of the carbonyl groups. Decarbonylation of 1 and 3
yielded the cage hydrocarbons 159 and 175, respectively. ROMP tests revealed that 175 is an
excellent monomer, but 159 was unreactive. The results obtained for the ROMP reactions in this study was rationalised by considering aspects
such as ring strain, energy profiles, steric constraints, and frontier orbital theory. The concept of
ring strain is less useful when describing the reactivity of cage alkenes towards ROMP and
therefore the concepts of fractional ring strain and fractional ring strain energy (RSEf) were
developed. A possible link between RSEf and the ROMP reactivity of cage alkenes was also
established. The following criteria were put forth to predict the reactivity or explain the lack of
reactivity of cage alkenes towards ROMP reactions with Grubbs-I and Grubbs-II. The criteria for ROMP of cage monomers: 1. Sufficient fractional ring strain energy (RSEf).
2. A reasonable energy profile when compared to a reference compound such as cyclopentene.
3. Ability to form a metallacyclobutane intermediate with reasonable distances between different
parts of the cage fragment.
4. Sufficient ability of the polymer fragment to take on a conformation that exposes the catalytic
site.
5. Sufficient size, shape, orientation and energy of HOMO and/or NHOMO at the alkene
functionality of the cage monomer and of the LUMO at the catalytic site. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Chemistry))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/8452 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Röscher, Justus |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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