Summary: The range of validity of two popular versions of the nitroxide quasi‐equilibrium (NQE) approximation used in the theory of kinetics of alkoxyamine mediated styrene polymerization, are systematically tested by simulation comparing the approximate and exact solutions of the equations describing the system. The validity of the different versions of the NQE approximation is analyzed in terms of the relative magnitude of (dN/dt)/(dP/dt). The approximation with a rigorous NQE, kc[P][N] = kd[PN], where P, N and PN are living, nitroxide radicals and dormant species respectively, with kinetic constants kc and kd, is found valid only for small values of the equilibrium constant K (10−11–10−12 mol · L−1) and its validity is found to depend strongly of the value of K. On the other hand, the relaxed NQE approximation of Fischer and Fukuda, kc[P][N] = kd[PN]0 was found to be remarkably good up to values of K around 10−8 mol · L−1. This upper bound is numerically found to be 2–3 orders of magnitude smaller than the theoretical one given by Fischer. The relaxed NQE is a better one due to the fact that it never completely neglects dN/dt. It is found that the difference between these approximations lies essentially in the number of significant figures taken for the approximation; still this subtle difference results in dramatic changes in the predicted course of the reaction. Some results confirm previous findings, but a deeper understanding of the physico‐chemical phenomena and their mathematical representation and another viewpoint of the theory is offered. Additionally, experiments and simulations indicate that polymerization rate data alone are not reliable to estimate the value of K, as recently suggested.Validity of the rigorous nitroxide quasi‐equilibrium assumption as a function of the nitroxide equilibrium constant.imageValidity of the rigorous nitroxide quasi‐equilibrium assumption as a function of the nitroxide equilibrium constant.
Palladium allylic systems containing modular chiral dithioether ligands were chosen as catalysts for a systematic study of homodonor ligands in allylic alkylation reactions. For this purpose, new type-DMPS (4-6) and -DEGUS (8, 9) ligands were synthesized. Dithioethers 4-6 afforded high activities and excellent selectivities in all Pd-catalyzed allylic reactions. Particularly the Pd/6 catalytic system provided b-VIII with an ee > 99% and a regioselectivity l/b (VIII) ) 1/1.6. A family of intermediate complexes containing several allyl groups (symmetrical, 13-16 and 20, and nonsymmetrical, 17-19, moieties) and dithioether ligands (4-6, 8, 9, 11, and 12) is described. The complexes were fully characterized both in solution and in the solid state. X-ray structures of four of these complexes (16-18 and 20) were determined. The diastereomers present in solution were studied by NMR spectroscopy, and in some cases it was possible to establish a relationship between the diastereomeric excesses and the selectivities found in the catalytic process.
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