Mono- and dinuclear β-oxo-δ-diiminate (BODDI) based catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide

Abstract

Polyesters such as polylactic acid belong to the most useful biodegradable polymers being able to substitute polyolefins in many applications. In search for potent catalysts based on bio-compatible and non-critical raw materials bimetallic cooperativity has emerged as a powerful approach, but one that is still in its infancy. Here, we report a comparative study on the catalytic activity of overall 13 mono- and dinuclear β-oxo-δ-diiminate (BODDI) complexes in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide. Variation of the number of metal atoms, the metal, i.e., Li, Mg, Ca, and Zn, as well as of the secondary ligand crucially impacts on the activity of the catalysts and properties of the formed polymers.