Zinc-Aluminum Oxo-alkoxide Initiators

Prior to the development of the aluminum initiators described above, a series of bimetallic /x-oxo alkoxides, such as (269) and (270) were examined as lactone polymerization initiators.811 812 At 10 °C, (269) polymerizes CL in a moderately controlled manner (60 equivalents, t1/2 = 23min), as shown by a linear DP vs. [M]0/[I]o plot and Mw/Mn values between 1.3 and 1.5. Mn data is consistent with only one of the terminal alkoxides initiating the ring opening, although in the presence of BuOH, which is known to dissociate (269), all four alkoxides are active. 

Further studies have shown that the degree of aggregation, and hence the number of active sites, is a function of the alkoxide substituent.813 For example, in (270) one of the i.vo-propoxide groups bridges two aluminum centers the other three are terminal ligands and all three initiate the ROP of CL. Less aggregated species such as (270) generally exhibit simple first order kinetics. 

The use of these initiators to polymerize LA814 and methylglycolide815 has been reported to proceed in a well-controlled fashion. Block copolymers such as PCL-b-PLA have also been prepared. Elimination of PrOH from the reaction of (270) with preformed hydroxyl terminated polymers, followed by lactone polymerization, yields diblocks of CL with polystyrene or polybutadiene.816 The preparation of an ABA triblock has also been reported (A = CL, B = LA) since propagating chains of PLA do not initiate CL ring opening, (270) was pretreated with hydroxy terminated (PCL-b-PLA)-OH 814 

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