Ring-expansion polymerization of meso-lactide catalyzed by dibutyltin derivatives

Homoleptic and heteroleptic ketodiiminate zinc complexes for the ROP of cyclic l-lactide

Homo- and heteroleptic ketodiiminate zinc complexes L12Zn2 (1, L1 = [Me2NC2H4NC(Me)CH]2CO), L2(ZnCp)2 (2, L2 = [Me2NC3H6NC(Me)CH]2CO, Cp = C5H5) and L2HZnCp* (3, Cp* = C5Me5) were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as by elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction (sc-XRD, 2, 3). The catalytical activity of heteroleptic complexes 2 and 3 were tested in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide. Homobimetallic complex 2 showed the highest activity and selectivity for the synthesis of cyclic polylactide (cPLLA; TOF = 17 460 h-1) at 100 °C in toluene solution, while linear polymers are formed with mononuclear complex 3.

Syntheses of polylactides by means of tin catalysts

Reaction mechanisms and synthetic methods used for the preparation of homo- and copolylactides based on tin(ii) and tin(iv) catalysts are reviewed.

Synthesis and characterization of guanidinate tin(ii) complexes for ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters

Novel homoleptic and heteroleptic (guanidinate)tin(ii) complexes were successfully synthesized and structurally characterized. The first heteroleptic (guanidinato)tin(ii) alkoxide complex was synthesized but found to be unstable leading to the corresponding bis(guanidinate)tin(ii) complex. The catalytic activities of bis(guanidinate)tin(ii) complexes having different substituents at the nitrogen atoms (isopropyl (1), cyclohexyl (2), and p-tolyl (3)) were investigated in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) and lactide (LA). The lone-pair electrons of the tin(ii) atom were proposed to act as an initiator similar to N-heterocyclic carbenes. Among the synthesized catalysts, complex 1 having less steric hindrance efficiently catalyzed both homo- and copolymerizations of ε-CL and LA giving high molecular weight cyclic polyesters. Transesterification was found to be the major contributor to the cyclization to cyclic polyesters.

High Tm poly(L-lactide)s via REP or ROPPOC of l-lactide

A new kind of high melting (HT_m) pol(l-lactide) was discovered when cyclic poly(l-lactide)s were prepared by ring-expansion polymerization with cyclic tin catalysts at 130–160 °C in bulk.