Zinc complexes supported by N,N-dimethylaniline-arylamido ligands: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic properties for ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide

Abstract

The reaction of bidentate N,N-dimethylaniline-arylamido ligands, o-C6H4NMe2(CH2NHAr)(Ar = Ph, 1a; 2,6-Me2C6H3, 1b; 2,6-Et2C6H3, 1c; 2,6- i Pr2C6H3, 1d) with ZnEt2 yields the complexes o-C6H4(NMe2)(CH2NAr)ZnEt (2a-2d), respectively. All the complexes were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. It was found that all the zinc complexes were efficient catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide in the presence of benzyl alcohol with good molecular weight control and narrow polydispersity.