Lanthanide borohydride complexes supported by diaminobis(phenoxide) ligands for the polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone and L- and rac-lactide.

Reaction of Na2O2NN' [H2O2NN' = (2-C5H4N)CH2N[2-HO-3,5-C6H2(t)Bu2]2] with M(BH4)3(THF)3 afforded the dimeric, rare-earth borohydride compounds [M(O2NN')(mu-BH4)(THF)n]2 [M = Y(III), n = 0.5 (1-Y); M = NdIII, n = 1 (1-Nd); M = SmIII, n = 0 (1-Sm)]. For comparison the chloride analogues [M(O2NN')(mu-Cl)(THF)n]2 (2-M; M = La(III) or Sm(III), n = 0; M = Nd(III), n = 1) and the corresponding pyridine adducts [M(O2NN')(mu-X)(py)]2 [X = BH4 (3-M) or Cl (4-M); M = La(III), Nd(III), or Sm(III)] were prepared and structurally characterized for 4-La. Compounds 1-M initiated the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone. The best molecular weight control (suppression of chain transfer) for all three monomers was found for the samarium system 1-Sm. The most effective heterotactic enrichment (Pr) in the polymerization of rac-lactide was found for 1-Y (P(r) = 87%). Compound 1-Nd catalyzed the block copolymerization of epsilon-caprolactone and L- and rac-lactide provided that epsilon-caprolactone was added first. Attempted block polymerization by the addition of L-lactide first, or random copolymerization of a ca. 1:1 mixture of epsilon-caprolactone and L-lactide, gave only a poly(L-lactide) homopolymer.