A new family of Group IV transition metal catalytic compounds are provided, which are capable of catalysing the ROP of cyclic esters and cyclic amides to yield polymers of high molecular weight and narrow PDI. The new family of catalysts are surprisingly active not only in catalysing the ROP of lactones such as caprolactone, but also macrolactones (e.g. ω-pentadecalactone, PDL), where the reduced amount of ring strain would typically compromise efficient polymerisation. Also provided is a process for the ring opening polymerisation (ROP) of a cyclic ester or a cyclic amide employing the new catalytic compounds.

The invention relates to the use of ruthenium complexes, which are homogeneous catalysts and/or precatalysts of the olefin metathesis reaction, which lead to the production of alkenes containing an internal (non-terminal) double C═C bond. ##STR00001##

The present invention is directed to catalytic compositions and to curable compositions containing them. Catalytic compositions of the present invention consist essentially of: (i) a metal compound; and (ii) a compound different from (i) that catalyzes an addition reaction between an ethylenically unsaturated compound and a thiol, wherein said catalytic composition is essentially free of vanadium compounds. Curable compositions according to the present invention comprise: (a) a polyene, (b) a polythiol, and (c) a catalytic component, which consists of the afore-mentioned catalytic composition.

Provided are a novel acyclic carbene ligand for ruthenium complex formation; a ruthenium complex catalyst using the ligand; a method of using the complex as a catalyst in an ethylene-metathesis ethenolysis reaction; a method of preparing the ruthenium complex catalyst; and a method of preparing a linear alpha-olefin, the method including the step of reacting a linear or cyclic alkene compound in the presence of the ruthenium complex catalyst.

The acyclic carbene ligand of the present invention and the ruthenium complex catalyst using the same have high selectivity and turnover number for terminal olefin formation in an ethylene-metathesis ethenolysis reaction, and thus linear -olefins may be prepared with a high yield.

Provided herein are metal organic frameworks comprising metal nodes and N-donor organic ligands. Methods for capturing chemical species from fluid compositions comprise contacting a metal organic framework characterized by the formula [M.sub.aM.sub.bF.sub.6-n(O/H.sub.2O).sub.w(Ligand).sub.x(solvent).sub.y].sub.z with a fluid composition and capturing one or more chemical species from the fluid composition.

An oxidative homocoupling method of synthesizing certain 2,2-bithiophenes from thiophenes using oxygen as the terminal oxidant is disclosed. In non-limiting examples, the method uses oxygen along with a catalytic system that includes palladium, an assistive ligand, and a non-palladium metal additive to catalyze one of the following reactions:

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Associated catalytic systems and compositions are also disclosed.

Provided is a 2,3-bisphosphinopyrazine derivative represented by the following general formula (1), wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 represent an optionally substituted straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl group, an optionally substituted adamantyl group, or an optionally substituted phenyl group, R.sup.5 represents an optionally substituted alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted phenyl group, each R.sup.5 may be the same group or a different group, R.sup.6 represents a monovalent substituent, n denotes an integer of 0 to

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This application pertains to amine-functionalized polymers by ring-opening metathesis (ROMP) of amine functionalized cycloalkenes.

A highly efficient, Z-selective ring-closing metathesis system for the formation of macrocycles using a stereoretentive, ruthenium-based catalyst supported by a dithiolate ligand is reported. This catalyst is demonstrated to be remarkably active as observed in initiation experiments showing complete catalyst initiation at 20 C. within 10 min. Using easily accessible diene starting materials bearing a Z-olefin moiety, macrocyclization reactions generated products with significantly higher Z-selectivity in appreciably shorter reaction times, in higher yield, and with much lower catalyst loadings than in previously reported systems. Macrocyclic lactones ranging in size from twelve-membered to seventeen-membered rings are synthesized in moderate to high yields (68-79% yield) with excellent Z-selectivity (95%-99% Z).

An oxidative homocoupling method of synthesizing certain 2,2-bithiophenes from thiophenes using oxygen as the terminal oxidant is disclosed. In non-limiting examples, the method uses oxygen along with a catalytic system that includes palladium, an assistive ligand, and a non-palladium metal additive to catalyze one of the following reactions: ##STR00001## Associated catalytic systems and compositions are also disclosed.