Dinuclear metal catalysts: improved performance of heterodinuclear mixed catalysts for CO2–epoxide copolymerization

Abstract

Some of the most active catalysts for carbon dioxide and epoxide copolymerization are dinuclear metal complexes. Whilst efficient homodinuclear catalysts are known, until now heterodinuclear catalysts remain unreported. Here, a facile, in situ route to a catalyst system comprising a mixture of homo- and heteronuclear Zn–Mg complexes is presented. This catalyst system shows excellent polymerization control and exhibits significantly higher activity than the homodinuclear catalysts alone or in combination.