Silica‐supported cationic tungsten imido alkylidene stabilized by an N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand boosts activity and selectivity in the metathesis of α‐olefins

Abstract

A well‐defined silica‐supported cationic W imido alkylidene was prepared through surface organometallic chemistry. This catalyst shows preferential activity towards α‐ over internal olefins, which is atypical for W‐based catalysts, but consistent with the strong σ‐donating ability of the NHC ancillary ligand. Complementing the studies on tungsten‐based d0 metathesis catalysts, the silica‐supported cationic W imido alkylidene displays the highest activity among W imido catalysts for α‐olefins and shows improved selectivity for this class of olefins compared to Mo‐based catalysts.