Application of imidazolinium salts and N-heterocyclic olefins for the synthesis of anionic and neutral tungsten imido alkylidene complexes.

The synthesis, single crystal X-ray structure and activity in olefin metathesis of novel anionic tungsten imido alkylidene complexes [1,3-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolinium](+) [W(N-2,6-iPr2C6H3)(CHCMe2Ph)(2,5-Me2Pyr)2Cl](-), [1,3-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolinium](+) [W(N-2,6-iPr2C6H3)(CHCMe2Ph)(2,5Me2Pyr)2(OC6F5)](-), and [1,3-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolinium](+) [W(N-2,6-iPr2C6H3)(CHCMe2Ph)(2,5-Me2Pyr)Cl2](-) are reported. Additionally, the first example of a bis(N-heterocyclic olefinium) alkylidene tungstate, W(N-2,6-iPr2C6H3)(CHCMe2Ph)(2-methylene-1,3,4,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline)2(OTf)2, is described, including preparation, crystal structure and catalytic activity.