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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Exploring electronic versus steric effects in stereoselective ring-opening polymerization of lactide and
Miloud Bouyahyi1, Noureddine Ajellal, Evgueni Kirillov
1Organométalliques et Catalyse, UMR 6226 CNRS-Université de Rennes 1, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France.
Abstract:
A series of methoxy-amino-bis(phenol)s (ONOO(R(1),R(2)))H(2) possessing on the phenol rings R(1) ortho substituents with variable steric and electronic properties (R(1)=CMe(2)Ph, 1; CMe(2)tBu, 3; CMe(2)(4-CF(3)C(6)H(4)), 5; CPh(3), 9; Cl, 10) has been synthesized and further reacted with [Y{N(SiHMe(2))(2)}(3)](THF)(2) to give cleanly the corresponding yttrium compounds [Y(ONOO(R(1),R(2))){N(SiHMe(2))(2)}(thf)(n)] (Y-x); the solid-state structures of Y-3 and Y-10 have been determined. These amido complexes have been used as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of rac-lactide (LA) and rac-β-butyrolactone (BBL) to provide heterotactically enriched poly(lactic acid)s (PLAs) and syndiotactically enriched poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)s (PHBs), respectively, by means of a chain-end control mechanism. Most of these polymerizations proceeded in a controlled fashion, giving polymers with narrow polydispersities and experimental molecular weights in good agreement with calculated values. The nature of the R(1) ortho substituents has a profound impact on the rates and, more spectacularly, on the stereocontrol of the polymerizations. The heterotactic stereocontrol in the ROP of rac-LA appears to be governed essentially by steric considerations; the larger the substituent, the higher the heterotacticity: R(1)=Cl (P(r)=0.56)≪CMe(3) (P(r)=0.80)≪CMe(2)Ph (P(r)=0.90)
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