title: Bifunctional yttrium(III) and titanium(IV) NHC catalysts for lactide polymerisation.
abstract: Lewis acidic yttrium(III) and titanium(IV) derivatives of anionic, metal-tethered carbenes apparently act as bifunctional catalysts for the polymerisation of D,L-lactide, using a combination of Lewis acid and base functionalities to initiate ring opening of the cyclic monomer; the alcohol- and amino-functionalised carbenes from which they derive provide models for the first insertion step, and also display metal-free polymerisation catalysis to generate polylactic acid.
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Dipti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Liddle
authors.forename: Shaheed A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mungur
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodden
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: Polly L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Arnold