Probing the Structure of Methylalumoxane (MAO) by a Combined Chemical, Spectroscopic, Neutron Scattering, and Computational Approach

The composition of methylalumoxane (MAO) and its interaction with trimethylaluminum (TMA) have been investigated by a combination of chemical, spectroscopic, neutron scattering, and computational methods. The interactions of MAO with donor molecules such as THF, pyridine, and PPh 3 as a means of quantifying the content of “free” and “bound” TMA have been evaluated, as well as the ability of MAO to produce [Me 2 AlL 2 ] + cations, a measure of the electrophilic component likely to be involved in the activation of single-site catalysts. THF, pyridine, and diphenylphosphinopropane (dppp) give the corresponding TMA–donor ligand complexes accompanied by the formation of [Me 2 AlL 2 ] + cations. The results suggest that MAO contains not only Lewis acid sites but also structures capable of acting as sources of [AlMe 2 ] + cations. Another unique, but still unresolved, structural aspect of MAO is the nature of “bound” and “free” TMA. The addition of the donors OPPh 3, PMe 3, and PCy 3 leads to the precipitation of polymeric MAO and shows that about one-fourth of the total TMA content is bound to the MAO polymers. This conclusion was independently confirmed by pulsed field gradient spin echo (PFG-SE) NMR measurements, which show fast and slow diffusion processes resulting from free and MAO-bound TMA, respectively. The hydrodynamic radius R h of polymeric MAO in toluene solutions was found to be 12 ± 0.3 Å, leading to an estimate for the average size of MAO polymers of about 50–60 Al atoms. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) resulted in the radius R S = 12.0 ± 0.3 Å for the MAO polymer, in excellent agreement with PFG-SE NMR experiments, a molecular weight of 1800 ± 100, and about 30 Al atoms per MAO polymer. The MAO structures capable of releasing [AlMe 2 ] + on reaction with a base were studied by quantum chemical calculations on the MAO models (OAlMe) n (TMA) m for up to n = 8 and m = 5. Both −O–AlMe 2 –O– and −O–AlMe 2 –μ-Me– four-membered rings are about equally likely to lead to dissociation of [AlMe 2 ] + cations. The resulting MAO anions rearrange, with structures containing separated Al 2 O 2 4-rings being particularly favorable. The results support the notion that catalyst activation by MAO can occur by both Lewis acidic cluster sites and [AlMe 2 ] + cation formation.