Polyesters are an important class of polymers due to their biodegradability, mechanical properties, and use in biomedical applications. These polymers are often synthesized in industrially intensive processes via polycondensation or ring-opening polymerizations; this wastes chemicals and limits structural diversity. It is therefore desirable to develop new synthetic routes from inexpensive, abundant, and renewable feedstocks. This research explores the development of novel bimetallic main group/group 10 catalytic systems that are capable of copolymerizing olefins and carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce polyesters. Late transition metal catalysts (e.g. Ni and Pd) are known to polymerize ethylene efficiently, while main group alkyl compounds (e.g. Mg, Al and Zn) are known chain transfer agents, many of which are capable of inserting CO2 into metal-carbon bonds. Therefore, a disalicylaldimine ligand framework has been synthesized to place these two metals in close proximity to promote the copolymerization cycle. The cooperative effects of the heterobimetallic complexes on ethylene polymerization will be discussed, as well as the viability of these complexes these complexes to copolymerize CO2 and ethylene.

Cooperative catalysts for the synthesis of polyesters

249th National Meeting (2015)

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