Zinc complexes supported by (benzimidazolyl)pyridine alcohol ligands as highly efficient initiators for ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone.

A series of air-stable zinc complexes ( 1 – 3 ) supported by (benzimidazolyl)pyridine alcohol ligands {tridentate [N,N,O]} has been synthesized and well characterized by FT-IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR, elemental analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In combination with methyllithium, these zinc complexes were proved to be highly efficient initiators for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL). The ROP of ε-CL in the absence or presence of benzyl alcohol, as well as the influences of monomer concentration, reaction temperature and the substituent on the ligand, were investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]