Bulky aryloxide ligand stabilizes a heterogeneous metathesis catalyst

The reaction of [W(=O)(=CHCMe2Ph)(dAdPO)2], containing bulky 2,6-diadamantyl aryloxide ligands, with partially dehydroxylated silica selectively yields a well-defined silica-supported alkylidene complex, [(≡SiO)W(=O)(=CHCMe2Ph)(dAdPO)]. This fully characterized material is a very active and stable alkene metathesis catalyst, thus allowing loadings as low as 50 ppm in the metathesis of internal alkenes. [(≡SiO)W(=O)(=CHCMe2Ph)(dAdPO)] also efficiently catalyzes the homocoupling of terminal alkenes, with turnover numbers exceeding 75,000 when ethylene is constantly removed to avoid the formation of the less reactive square-based pyramidal metallacycle resting state.