title: Mechanistic Aspects of the Polymerization of Lactide Using a Highly Efficient Aluminum(III) Catalytic System.
abstract: We report here a unique example of an in situ generated aluminum initiator stabilized by a C2-symmetric salen ligand which shows a hitherto unknown high activity for the ROP of rac-lactide at room temperature. Using a simple and robust catalyst system, which is prepared from a salen complex and an onium salt, this convenient route employs readily available reagents that afford polylactide in good yields with narrow polydispersity indices, without the need for time-consuming and expensive processes that are typically required for catalyst preparation and purification. In line with the experimental evidence, DFT studies reveal that initiation and propagation proceed via an external alkoxide attack on the coordinated monomer.
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Thibault E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haquette
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Sumesh K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Noelle
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Rager
authors.affiliation: Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois , UMR 8181 - UCCS - Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Régis M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4788-4363
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gauvin
authors.affiliation: Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois , UMR 8181 - UCCS - Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Yohann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.affiliation: Univ. Lille, CNRS , UMR 8576 - UGSF - Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, F-59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Trivelli
authors.affiliation: Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR2301, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay , Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guérineau
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse ; INSA, UPS; LPCNO (IRSAMC), 135 avenue de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse, France.|CNRS ; UMR 5215 (IRSAMC), F-31077 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Iker
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Del Rosal
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse ; INSA, UPS; LPCNO (IRSAMC), 135 avenue de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse, France.|CNRS ; UMR 5215 (IRSAMC), F-31077 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2653-8557
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maron
authors.affiliation: Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS , Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christophe M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8014-4255
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Thomas