Event Title
Mapping the Reactivity Surface of Metal-Olefin Reactions
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Chemistry
Mentor Information
Stephen Matchett, matchets@gvsu.edu
Department
Chemistry
Location
Kirkhof Center KC 70
Start Date
13-4-2011 4:00 PM
End Date
13-4-2011 5:00 PM
Keywords
Physical Science
Abstract
Metal-olefin complexes are intermediates in a wide variety of industrial reactions. Interestingly, the metal-olefin bond is not always symmetric. The purpose of this study was to understand how the asymmetry of the metal-olefin bond affects the rate of nucleophilic attack by measuring the rate of attack across a series of 12 metal-olefin complexes, previously made in our lab. Unfortunately, the majority of our time was spent in methods development. Solutions of metal-olefin complexes are air-sensitive, complicating the accurate measurement of their concentration. In addition, several of our solvent systems were found to react directly with our metal-olefin complex, making them unusable. In the end, we settled on CH3NO2 and C2H4Cl2 as the most compatible. Using these we worked out the method for running the kinetics experiments, but the preliminary data shows there are still some stability problems in solution.
Mapping the Reactivity Surface of Metal-Olefin Reactions
Kirkhof Center KC 70
Metal-olefin complexes are intermediates in a wide variety of industrial reactions. Interestingly, the metal-olefin bond is not always symmetric. The purpose of this study was to understand how the asymmetry of the metal-olefin bond affects the rate of nucleophilic attack by measuring the rate of attack across a series of 12 metal-olefin complexes, previously made in our lab. Unfortunately, the majority of our time was spent in methods development. Solutions of metal-olefin complexes are air-sensitive, complicating the accurate measurement of their concentration. In addition, several of our solvent systems were found to react directly with our metal-olefin complex, making them unusable. In the end, we settled on CH3NO2 and C2H4Cl2 as the most compatible. Using these we worked out the method for running the kinetics experiments, but the preliminary data shows there are still some stability problems in solution.