Four- and five-coordinate aluminum ketiminate complexes: synthesis, characterization, and ring-opening polymerization

Area of Science:

• Organometallic Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Ketiminate ligands offer versatile coordination possibilities in organometallic chemistry.
• Aluminum complexes are key catalysts in various polymerization reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and structurally characterize novel aluminum complexes featuring ketiminate ligands.
• To evaluate the catalytic activity of these complexes in the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of aluminum complexes via reactions with trialkylaluminum and aluminum chloride.
• Characterization using spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography.
• Evaluation of catalytic activity in epsilon-caprolactone ring-opening polymerization.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared and characterized four- and five-coordinated aluminum complexes.
• Determined the structures of several complexes, revealing tetrahedral geometries.
• Observed moderate catalytic activity for mono- and bis-ketiminate aluminum complexes in epsilon-caprolactone polymerization.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized ketiminate aluminum complexes are structurally diverse and stable.
• These complexes demonstrate potential as catalysts for ring-opening polymerization, warranting further investigation.