Mechanistic insights into regioselective polymerization of 1,3-Dienes catalyzed by a bipyridine-ligated iron complex: A DFT study.

The regioselective polymerizations of isoprene and 3-methyl-pentadiene catalyzed by a cationic iron (II) complex bearing bipyridine ligand have been computationally studied. Having achieved an agreement between calculation and experiment, it is found that the open-shell unpaired 3d-electrons localize on Fe center rather than partially distribute on the redox-active bipyridine ligand. The steric effect plays a more important role in controlling the regioselectivity in comparison with electronic factors. The deformation energy is mainly contributed by monomer and Fe-alkyl moieties rather than the bipyridine ligands themselves, although noncyclopentadienyl ancillary ligands are often deformed in most insertion transition states for selective polymerization of olefin. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]