Ring-opening polymerisation of beta-butyrolactone catalysed by distannoxane complexes: study of the mechanism

Copolymerization of β-Butyrolactones into Functionalized Polyhydroxyalkanoates Using Aluminum Catalysts: Influence of the Initiator in the Ring-Opening Polymerization Mechanism

Within bioplastics, natural poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) stands out as fully biocompatible and biodegradable, even in marine environments; however, its high isotacticity and crystallinity limits its mechanical properties and hence its applications. PHB can also be synthesized with different tacticities via a catalytic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of rac-β-butyrolactone (BBL), paving the way to PHB with better thermomechanical and processability properties. In this work, the catalyst family is extended based on aluminum phenoxy-imine methyl catalyst [AlMeL2], that reveals efficient in the ROP of BBL, to the halogeno analogous complex [AlClL2]. As well, the impact on the ROP mechanism of different initiators is further explored with a particular focus in dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), a hardly studied initiator for the ROP of BBL. A thorough mechanistic study is performed that evidences the presence of two concomitant DMAP-mediated mechanisms, that lead to either a DMAP or a crotonate end-capping group. Besides, in order to increase the possibilities of PHB post-polymerization functionalization, the introduction of a side-chain functionality is explored, establishing the copolymerization of BBL with β-allyloxymethylene propiolactone (BPLOAll), resulting in well-defined P(BBL-co-BPLOAll) copolymers.

Ring-Opening Polymerization of CO2-Based Disubstituted δ-Valerolactone toward Sustainable Functional Polyesters

3-Ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one (EVL) is a disubstituent δ-lactone derived from CO₂ and 1,3-butadiene. In this contribution, we report the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of EVL with β-butyrolactone (BBL) as the comonomer catalyzed by scandium triflate [Sc(OTf)₃]. The obtained polyester bearing active unsaturated bonds has the weight-average molecular weight (M_w) of 4.1 kg/mol, in which the EVL content is 38 mol % in accordance with the initial ratio of 40 mol %. The copolymers are characterized in detail and the cationic ROP mechanism has been confirmed by kinetic study, chain end analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The modification of the unsaturated bonds in EVL repeating units via the thio-ene click reaction with mercapto-ended polysarcosine polysarcosine yields the amphiphilic grafting polymers. It is a CO₂ fixation approach toward the functional poly(EVL-r-BBL) that is promising as a degradable polyester precursor for adhesive or surface-coating materials.

The role of neutral donor ligands in the isoselective ring-opening polymerization of rac-β-butyrolactone

Isoenriched poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB) is a biodegradable material with properties similar to isotactic polypropylene, yet efficient routes to this material are lacking after 50+ years of extensive efforts in catalyst design. In this contribution, a novel lanthanum aminobisphenolate catalyst (1-La) can access isoenriched P3HB through the stereospecific ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of rac-β-butyrolactone (rac-BBL). Replacing the tethered donor group of a privileged supporting ligand with a non-coordinating benzyl substituent generates a catalyst whose reactivity and selectivity can be tuned with inexpensive achiral neutral donor ligands (e.g. phosphine oxides, OPR₃). The 1-La/OPR₃ (R = n-octyl, Ph) systems display high activity and are the most isoselective homogeneous catalysts for the ROP of rac-BBL to date (0 °C: P_m = 0.8, TOF ∼190 h⁻¹). Combined reactivity and spectroscopic studies provide insight into the active catalyst structure and ROP mechanism. Both 1-La(TPPO)2 and a structurally related catalyst with a tethered donor group (2-Y) operate under chain-end stereocontrol; however, 2-RE favors formation of P3HB with opposite tacticity (syndioenriched) and its ROP activity and selectivity are totally unaffected by added neutral donor ligands. Our studies uncover new roles for neutral donor ligands in stereospecific ROP, including suppression of chain-scission events, and point to new opportunities for catalyst design.

Simple achiral neutral donor ligands modify catalyst structure and function to enable access to isoenriched poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, a biodegradable material with properties similar to isotactic polypropylene.

Stereoselective Ring-Opening (Co)polymerization of β-Butyrolactone and ε-Decalactone Using an Yttrium Bis(phenolate) Catalytic System

An effective route for ring-opening copolymerization of β-butyrolactone (BBL) with ε-decalactone (ε-DL) is reported. Microstructures of the block copolymers characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy revealed syndiotactic-enriched poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blocks. Several di- and triblock copolymers (PDL-b-PHB and PDL-b-PHB-b-PDL, respectively) were successfully synthesized by sequential addition of the monomers using (salan)Y(III) complexes as catalysts. The results from MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of the copolymers. Moreover, thermal properties of the block copolymers were also investigated and showed that the microphase separation of PDL-b-PHB copolymers into PHB- and PDL-rich domains has an impact on the glass transition temperatures of both blocks.

A broad scope of aliphatic polyesters prepared by elimination of small molecules from sustainable 1,3-dioxolan-4-ones

We report a family of monomers that are built from renewable resources and use the elimination of small molecules to access aliphatic polyesters, circumventing challenging monomer syntheses to make these functionalism polymers.

Synthetic, Spectroscopic, Crystallographic, and Biological Studies of Seven-Coordinated Diorganotin(IV) Complexes Derived from Schiff Bases and Pyridinic Carboxylic Acids

The synthesis and characterisation of diorganotin(iv) monomeric derivatives of pyridine Schiff bases and pyridinic carboxylic acids are reported. All complexes were characterised by mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, IR spectra, and multinuclear NMR analyses. Among them, complexes 5a, 5d, 5e, 5g, and 6a were also confirmed by X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses, which led to establishing that the tin atom is seven-coordinated and has a distorted pentagonal–bipyramidal coordination environment in the solid state and also revealed that both ligands occupy the equatorial positions and the organic substituents the axial positions. The antioxidant activity of the synthetic derivatives towards 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) as well as the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay were determined, and were compared with standard antioxidants, showing a dose-dependent activity in both cases. A prominent response was obtained depending on the substituent. The anti-inflammatory activity was also evaluated on a 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) model of induced acute inflammation. The results of the biological tests are discussed in terms of structural characteristics.

Tuning thermal properties and microphase separation in aliphatic polyester ABA copolymers

Four alkyl substituted β-lactones were investigated in ring opening polymerisation to produce a family of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s and their block copolymers.

Bis(μ2-2-(dimethylamino)ethoxo-N,O,O)-di(phenolato-O)ditin(II): a high-resolution single-crystal X-ray diffraction and quantum chemical study

Experimental and calculated electron density functions ρ(r) of the title compound in the crystal were obtained. These were compared with ρ(r) for an isolated dimer. Application of the `Atoms in Molecules' theory allowed the visualization of the electron lone pair (Lp) of tin(II) and the calculation of some bond energies and all atomic charges. The stereochemical activity of the Lp was demonstrated and its volume was estimated to be approximately 10 Å3. The energies of N→Sn and Sn—O bonds were found to be 13–18 and 25–52 kJ mol−1. According to the experimental, AM05-PW and PBE0/6-311G(d,p) calculation data, µ2-2-(dimethylamino)ethoxoate accepts 0.68, 0.45 and 0.40 e from the Sn atom. Using the example of µ2-2-(dimethylamino)ethoxoates and complexes of bis(n-butyl)tin(IV) it was demonstrated that the more screened the Sn atom, the better the catalytic activity of its complex in polyurethane synthesis.

Single-site beta-diiminate zinc catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of beta-butyrolactone and beta-valerolactone to poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates)

Polymerization of beta-butyrolactone (BBL) and beta-valerolactone (BVL) using the zinc alkoxide initiator (BDI-1)ZnO(i)()Pr [(BDI-1) = 2-((2,6-diisopropylphenyl)amido)-4-((2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino)-2-pentene] proceeds very rapidly under mild conditions to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV), respectively. For the monomer-to-initiator ratio 200:1, PHB number-average molecular weights (M(n)) are proportional to conversion throughout the reaction and polydispersity indices (PDIs) are narrow, consistent with a living polymerization. Higher monomer-to-initiator ratios can be used to achieve high molecular weight PHB (M(n) > 100 000). End-group analysis verifies that the polymerization of BBL follows a coordination-insertion mechanism, where complexes of the form (BDI-1)ZnOCH(Me)CH(2)CO(2)R are the active species. Variable temperature NMR experiments show that (BDI-1)ZnO(i)()Pr is monomeric in benzene-d(6) solution. In contrast, (BDI-2)ZnO(i)()Pr [(BDI-2) = 2-((2,6-diethylphenyl)amido)-4-((2,6-diethylphenyl)imino)-2-pentene] is a poor initiator at room temperature because it prefers to form a bis-mu-isopropoxide dimer in solution. According to kinetic studies, propagation by (BDI-1)ZnO(i)()Pr is first order in both monomer as well as (BDI-1)ZnO(i)()Pr concentration. These results lead us to propose a monometallic active species. Several results suggest that elimination side reactions are slowly catalyzed by zinc alkoxides, leading to degradation of the polymer.