Remarkable stereocontrol in the polymerization of racemic lactide using aluminum initiators supported by tetradentate aminophenoxide ligands.
A new family of aluminum complexes bearing tetradentate bis(aminophenoxide) ligands is reported and shown to initiate the living ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide. The microstructures of the polylactide products are found to be highly dependent upon the ancillary ligand substituents, ranging from highly isotactic (Pm = 0.79) to very highly heterotactic (Pr = 0.96).
Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AY, UK.
Pimpa
P
Hormnirun
Edward L
EL
Marshall
Vernon C
VC
Gibson
Andrew J P
AJ
White
David J
DJ
Williams