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Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Highly isoselective ring-opening polymerization of rac-O-carboxyanhydrides using a zinc alkoxide initiator
Yaqin Cui1, Jinxing Jiang1, Xiaobo Pan1
1State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metal Chemistry and Resources Utilization of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China. wujc@lzu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
The stereoselective ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of O-carboxyanhydrides (OCAs) remains a major challenge due to the easy epimerization of monomers. In this work, using a zinc alkoxide initiator, highly efficient ROP of enantiopure 5-methyl-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione (LacOCA), 5-benzyl-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione (PheOCA), and 5-(4-(benzyloxy)benzyl)-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione (Try(Bn)OCA) was achieved without obvious epimerization. Moreover, highly isoselective ROP of rac-LacOCA, rac-PheOCA, and rac-Try(Bn)OCA was successful with the highest isoselectivity of Pm = 0.97 at -70 °C.
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