Organo-Lewis acids of enhanced utility, uses thereof, and products based thereon

An organoborane represented by the formula:

• B(R1)n(R2)3-n
• wherein each R1 is, independently, a perfluorinated polycyclic fused ring group in which the ring system is totally aromatic or is partially aromatic and partially cycloaliphatic, and wherein each R2 is a pentafluorophenyl group, and wherein n is 1 to 3.

A process for preparing a catalytic complex or ion pair, which process comprises contacting a d-block or f-block metal compound having at least one leaving group with an organoborane of the formula:

• BR′nR″3-n
• wherein R′ is a fluoroaryl group having at least one additional substituent other than fluorine, each R″ is, independently, (i) a fluoroaryl group having at least one additional substituent other than fluorine, or (ii) a fluorinated hydrocarbyl group devoid of additional substitution, and n is 1 or 2 in a suitably anhydrous liquid medium and in a suitably inert atmosphere or environment, such that a leaving group is abstracted from the d-block or f-block metal compound and becomes unified with the organoborane to produce the catalytic complex.

A process for preparing a catalytic complex or ion pair, which process comprises contacting a d-block or f-block metal compound having at least one leaving group with an organoborane of the formula:

• B(R1)n(R2)3-n
• wherein each R1 is, independently, a perfluorinated polycyclic fused ring group in which the ring system is totally aromatic, or is partially aromatic and partially cycloaliphatic, wherein each R2 is a pentafluorophenyl group, and wherein n is 1 to 3.

A process for polymerizing a polymerizable olefinic monomer or copolymerizing two or more copolymerizable olefinic monomers, which process comprises contacting said monomer or monomers with a polymerization catalyst complex which comprises a cation formed from a d-block or f-block metal compound by abstraction therefrom of a leaving group, and an anion formed by unification of the leaving group with an organoborane of the formula:

• BR′nR″3-n
• wherein R′ is a fluoroaryl group having at least one additional substituent other than fluorine, wherein each R″ is, independently, (i) a fluoroaryl group having at least one additional substituent other than fluorine, or (ii) a fluorinated hydrocarbyl group devoid of additional substitution, and wherein n is 1 or 2.

A process for polymerizing a polymerizable olefinic monomer or copolymerizing two or more copolymerizable olefinic monomers, which process comprises contacting said monomer or monomers with a polymerization catalyst complex which comprises a cation formed from a d-block or f-block metal compound by abstraction therefrom of a leaving group, and an anion formed by unification of the leaving group with an organoborane of the formula:

• B(R1)n(R2)3-n
• wherein each R1 is, independently, a perfluorinated polycyclic fused ring group in which the ring system is totally aromatic, or is partially aromatic and partially cycloaliphatic, and wherein each R2 is a pentafluorophenyl group, and wherein n is 1 to 3.