title: Combining NHC bis-phenolate ligands with oxophilic metal centers: a powerful approach for the development of robust and highly effective organometallic catalysts.
abstract: The present paper describes an overview of a novel family of tridentate NHC pincer ligand in which two phenoxide moieties are directly connected to the nitrogen atoms of a central N-heterocyclic carbene. It was envisioned that such a structure might be suitable for coordination to a variety of metal centers across the periodic table, including oxophilic metals. Various metal complexes bearing such ligand are indeed readily accessible in high yields via straightforward routes. Interestingly, a robust zirconium-NHC complex was found to polymerize rac-lactide in a highly controlled, living and stereoselective manner to afford heterotactic PLA.
authors.affiliation: IPCMS (Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg), CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess BP 43, F-67034 Strasbourg, France; University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), 5 allée du Général Rouvillois, F-67083 Strasbourg, France. bellemin@unistra.fr.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellemin-Laponnaz
authors.affiliation: Institut de chimie de Strasbourg, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, 1 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67000 Strasbourg, France. dagorne@unistra.fr.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dagorne
authors.affiliation: Clariant International AG, Polymer Additives, MUT 904-242, Rothausstrasse 61, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland; Inolytix AG, Bahnhofstrasse 35, 4334 Sisseln, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dümpelmann
authors.affiliation: Clariant International AG, Polymer Additives, MUT 904-242, Rothausstrasse 61, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland. Pascal.Steffanut@clariant.com.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Steffanut