Review – recent development of ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters using aluminum complexes

With the development of the technology of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) rapidly, many novel aluminum complexes have been designed, synthesized, and applied in initiating ROP of cyclic esters and new stereoregular polymerization mechanism of lactide polymerization have been reported. In this review, the mechanism for ROP of cyclic ester, synthesis of aluminum complexes containing tetradendete ligand, tridentate ligand, bidentate ligand, and bimetallic complexes containing aluminum were reviewed. We hope to give some helpful information for designing aluminum complexes, improving activity, and stereoregularity of aluminum complexes.