Five-coordinate aluminum complexes composed of two 2,6-dimethylphenoxide ligands and a tridentate ketoiminate supporting ligand were prepared from the condensation of tris-phenoxide aluminum and ketoimines. The complexes were isolated in 70-85% yield and characterized with 1H and 13C NMR. The complexes were assessed for their ring-opening polymerization activity with cyclic esters—L-lactide (LA) and ε-caprolactone (εCL) to prepare poly-lactic acid (PLA) and poly-caprolactone (PCL), respectively. Since each was an effective ROP initiator of both LA and εCL, studies into the relationship between percentage conversion and polymer molecular weight were conducted with three different aluminum complexes where the electronic properties were varied by increasing the number of trifluoromethyl groups on the ketoiminate. In each case, linear relationships between percentage conversion and molecular weight were observed with low poly-dispersity index values.

Ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters with five-coordinate aluminum complexes

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.