In situ and readily prepared metal catalysts and initiators for living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether: dual-purpose salphen as a ligand framework for ZrCl4 and an initiating proton source

Abstract

A salphen complex [salphen = N,N′-o-phenylene-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-salicylidene-imine)], synthesized in situ by mixing a salphen ligand with a metal chloride is shown to be an effective catalyst in cationic polymerization for the first time. Furthermore, the salphen/ZrCl₄ system induced the living cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether in toluene at 0 °C with quantitative initiation from HCl simultaneously generated upon the complex formation.