Tridentate pincer ligand supported metal-alkylidyne and metallacycloalkylene complexes for alkyne polymerization

A tridentate pincer ligand supported metal complex, comprising the structure:

• where:
• M is a group 5-7 transition metal;
• R is independently, H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, or C5 to C20 alkyl:
• R′ is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl t-butyl, C5 to C20 alkyl, phenyl, naphthyl, or C13 to C22 aryl;
• X is independently O, N, S, P, or Se;
• n is independently 1 to 2, m is 1 to 2, and R″ is independently methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, C5 to C20 alkyl, phenyl, naphthyl, C13 to C18 aryl or two R″ are combined as a C4 to C6 alkylene, wherein XR″2 is a 5 to 7-membered ring;
• or
• where:
• R is, independently, H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl t-butyl, or larger alkyl;
• R′ is, independently, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, C5-C22 alkyl, phenyl, naphthyl, C13-C22 aryl, aryl substituted with one or more fluoro, C1-C3 alkoxy, or trifluoromethyl, or trimethylsilyl;
• R′″ is H or methyl;
• X, independently, is O, N, S, P, or Se;
• R″, independently, is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, C5-C22, phenyl, naphthyl, C13-C22 aryl, or two R″ are combined as a C4 to C6 alkylene;
• n is 1 to 3 depending on X;
• m is 1 to 2;
• and M is a group 5-7 transition metal.