The coordination chemistry of zirconium and hafnium complexes containing the tridentate amine biphenolate ligands [RN(CH2-2-O-3,5-C6H2(tBu)2)2]2− ([R-ONO]2−; R = tBu (1a), iPr (1b), nPr (1c)) featuring distinct N-alkyl substituents is described. Alcoholysis of Zr(OiPr)4(HOiPr) or Hf(OiPr)4(HOiPr) with H2[1a] in diethyl ether solutions at −35 °C generates the corresponding five-coordinate [1a]M(OiPr)2 (M = Zr (2a), Hf (3a)) in high isolated yield. Similar reactions employing H2[1b] produce six-coordinate [1b]M(OiPr)2(HOiPr) (M = Zr (2b·HOiPr), Hf (3b·HOiPr)) as an isopropanol adduct. Repetitive trituration of 2b·HOiPr and 3b·HOiPr with diethyl ether gives five-coordinate 2b and 3b, respectively. Treatment of M(OiPr)4(HOiPr) with H2[1c] under similar conditions affords six-coordinate [1c]M(OiPr)2(HOiPr) (M = Zr (2c·HOiPr), Hf (3c·HOiPr)), subsequent recrystallization of which from acetonitrile–diethyl ether solutions leads to acetonitrile adducts 2c·MeCN and 3c·MeCN. Reactivity studies of these zirconium and hafnium complexes revealed that they are all active catalysts for ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone. Among them, the N-isopropyl derived complexes are most reactive. Polymerizations catalyzed by 2b, 3b and 3c·MeCN were proved to be living. The X-ray structures of 2a·HOiPr, 2a·MeCN, 2c·HOiPr, 2c·MeCN, and 3c·MeCN are presented.
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