Polymers and Kinetic Resolutions: The Insolubility of It All

Isoselective ring-opening polymerization and asymmetric kinetic resolution polymerization of rac-lactide catalyzed by bifunctional iminophosphorane–thiourea/urea catalysts

The isoselective mechanism (CEC or ESC) for ring-opening polymerization of rac-LA was demonstrated using chiral and achiral IPTU/IPU organocatalysts.

Enantioselective Resolution Copolymerization of Racemic Epoxides and Anhydrides: Efficient Approach for Stereoregular Polyesters and Chiral Epoxides

Herein we report an efficient strategy for preparing isotactic polyesters and chiral epoxides via enantioselective resolution copolymerization of racemic terminal epoxides with anhydrides, mediated by enantiopure bimetallic complexes in conjunction with a nucleophilic cocatalyst. The chirality of both the axial linker and the diamine backbones of the ligand are responsible for the chiral induction of this kinetic resolution copolymerization process. The catalyst systems exhibit exceptional levels of enantioselectivity with a kinetic resolution coefficient exceeding 300 for various racemic epoxides, affording highly isotactic copolymers (selectivity factors of more than 300) with a completely alternating structure and low polydispersity index. Most of the produced isotactic polyesters are typical semicrystalline materials with melting temperatures in the range from 77 to 160 °C.