title: A multimetallic iron(ii)-lithium complex as a catalyst for ε-caprolactone polymerization.
abstract: Treatment of the lithium salt of β-ketimine with FeCl2(THF)1.5in the presence of LiN(SiMe3)2and water affords the multimetallic iron(ii)-lithium complex 1, [(LMe)2Fe]3Li2O [where LMe= MeC(O)CHC(NMe)Me]. In complex 1 three separated (LMe)2Fe units are bound together by one Li2O species, which leads to the formation of an interesting {Fe3Li2O} core structure. Complex 1 can be used as a single-component initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone at room temperature, achieving a monomer conversion of 98% within 100 min, and a narrow molecular weight distribution (PDI = 1.28) of the resulting polymer.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China. ypeng@dlut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China. ypeng@dlut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China. ypeng@dlut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Universität Göttingen, Tammannstrasse 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany. hroesky@gwdg.de.
authors.forename: Herbert W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Roesky
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, P. R. China. ypeng@dlut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Kaipeng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu