A trinuclear salen–Al complex for copolymerization of epoxides and anhydride: mechanistic insight into a cocatalyst-free system

Abstract

A rare example of a trinuclear salen–Al complex is reported. Due to the intramolecular interaction, the trinuclear salen–Al complex can catalyze copolymerization with high activity in the absence of any cocatalyst. On the basis of a covalent coordination insertion mechanism, ABC(1)C(2) type tetrablock copolymers were produced using an hydroxyl initiator.