Tethered Tungsten-Alkylidenes for the Synthesis of Cyclic Polynorbornene via Ring Expansion Metathesis: Unprecedented Stereoselectivity and Trapping of Key Catalytic Intermediates

This report describes an approach for preparing tethered tungsten-imido alkylidene complexes featuring a tetra-anionic pincer ligand. Treating the tungsten alkylidyne [tBuOCO]­WCtBu­(THF)2 (1) with isocyanates (RNCO; R = tBu, Cy, and Ph) leads to cycloaddition occurring exclusively at the CN bond to generate the tethered tungsten-imido alkylidenes (6-NR). Unanticipated intermediates reveal themselves, including the discovery of [(O2CtBuC)­W­(η2-(N,C)-RNCO)­(THF)] (11-R) and an unprecedented decarbonylation product [(tBuOCO)­W­(NR)­(tBuCCO)] (14-R), on the pathway to the formation of 6-NR. Complex 11-R is kinetically stable for sterically bulky isocyanate R = tBu (11-tBu) and is isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Finally, adding to the short list of catalysts capable of ring expansion metathesis polymerization (REMP), complexes 6-NR and 11-tBu are active for the stereoselective synthesis of cyclic polynorbornene.