Synthesis of Al complexes containing phenoxy-imine ligands and their use as the catalyst precursors for efficient living ring-opening polymerisation of epsilon-caprolactone.

Al complexes containing phenoxy-imine ligands of type, Me2Al[O-2-R1-6-(R2N=CH)C6H3] [R1 = Me, R2 = 2,6-iPr2C6H3 (1a), tBu (1b); R1 = tBu, R2 = 2,6-iPr2C6H3 (2a), tBu (2b), cyclohexyl (2c), adamantyl (2d), C6H5 (2e), 2,6-Me2C6H3 (2f), C6F5 (2g)] have been prepared in high yields from AlMe3 by treating with 1.0 equiv. of 2-R1-6-(R2N=CH)C6H3OH in n-hexane. Structures for 1a, 1b, 2a-e and 2g were determined by X-ray crystallography, and these complexes have a distorted tetrahedral geometry around Al; both the Al-O and the Al-N bond distances were influenced by substituents in both the aryloxo and the imino groups. Me2Almu2-O-2-(R2N=CH)C6H4 [R2 = 2,6-iPr2C6H3 (3a), tBu (3b)] were prepared exclusively by reaction of AlMe3 with 2-(R2N=CH)C6H4OH, and these complexes form a distorted tetrahedral geometry around each Al centre with additional AlMe3 coordinating to the oxygen in the phenoxy-imine ligand. Complexes 1a, 1b and 2a-g were tested as catalyst precursors for ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) in the presence of (n)BuOH (1.0 equiv. to Al), and their catalytic activities were strongly influenced by the imino substituent (R2). The efficient ROP has been achieved using the C6F5 analogue (2g), with the ROP taking place in a living manner.