title: Reverse orders of reactivities in the polymerization of cyclic esters using N(2)O(2) aluminium alkoxide complexes.
abstract: Three aluminium alkoxide complexes containing N(2)O(2) bis(phenoxy)-amine ligands were synthesized from reactions of the corresponding N(2)O(2) ligands with Al(O(i)Pr)(3) in toluene. Different amine side chains of the ligands included pyridine (1), CH(2)NMe(2) (2), and CH(2)NEt(2) (3). The related chloro aluminium analog (4) was prepared from a reaction between AlCl(3) and the potassium salt of the N(2)O(2) ligand having CH(2)NMe(2) side chain. X-Ray crystallography reveals that complexes 3 and 4 have a monomeric five-coordinate aluminium center. Complexes 1-3 catalyzed the polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone (epsilon-CL) at 70 degrees C in toluene with the relative reactivities of 1<2< 3. In contrary, only complex 1 was active for the polymerization of lactide under the same polymerization conditions. (1)H NMR spectroscopy shows that treatment of 2 with 1 equivalent of lactide afforded the ring-opened product L(2)Al-OCH(Me)C(O)OCH(Me)C(O)O(i)Pr. Electronic effects are believed to be responsible for the observed trend in the epsilon-CL polymerization rates. On the other hand, steric hindrance at the amine side chain is the main contributor to the observed rates of lactide polymerization.
authors.affiliation: Center for Catalysis, Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. sckpp@mahidol.ac.th
authors.forename: Khamphee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Phomphrai
authors.forename: Phongnarin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chumsaeng
authors.forename: Preeyanuch
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sangtrirutnugul
authors.forename: Palangpon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kongsaeree
authors.forename: Manat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pohmakotr
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D003500:Cyclization; D004952:Esters / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D000535:Aluminum