Polymerization of Lactide
J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 123, No. 14, 2001 3237
(BDI-2)ZnN(SiMe3)2. To a solution of (BDI-2)H (3.54 g, 9.77
mmol) in toluene (15 mL) was added zinc bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (3.95
mL, 9.79 mmol) in toluene (5 mL). After being stirred for 18 h at 70
°C, the clear yellow solution was dried in vacuo, giving (BDI-2)ZnN-
(SiMe3)2 in quantitative yield (5.74 g). The light yellow solid was
recrystallized from hexanes at -5 °C to yield colorless blocks (3.59 g,
80 °C, the clear solution was dried in vacuo giving (BDI-1)ZnEt as a
viscous yellow oil in quantitative yield (0.612 g). This oil crystallized
1
as large blocks upon standing over the course of several weeks. H
NMR (C6D6, 300 MHz): δ 7.07 (6H, m, ArH), 4.98 (1H, s, â-CH),
3.18 (4H, m, CHMe2), 1.69 (6H, s, R-Me), 1.25 (12H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz,
CHMeMe), 1.14 (12H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 0.89 (3H, t, J ) 8.0
Hz, CH2CH3) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (C6D6, 75 MHz): δ 167.03, 144.67,
141.17, 125.61, 123.46, 95.03, 28.16, 23.88, 23.14, 22.93, 11.74, -1.53
ppm.
1
62% yield). H NMR (C6D6, 300 MHz): δ 7.11 (6H, br, ArH), 4.87
(1H, s, â-CH), 2.73 (4H, m, J ) 7.5 Hz, CH2CH3), 2.60 (4H, m, J )
7.5 Hz, CH2CH3), 1.58 (6H, s, R-Me), 1.21 (12H, t, J ) 7.5 Hz,
CH2CH3), 0.03 (18H, s, CH3) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (C6D6, 75 MHz): δ
169.21, 145.86, 136.99, 125.99, 125.85, 95.62, 24.79, 23.43, 13.59,
5.17 ppm.
(BDI-1)MgN(SiMe3)2. To a solution of (BDI-1)H (2.045 g, 4.883
mmol) in toluene (20 mL) was added a solution of magnesium bis-
(trimethylsilyl)amide (1.707 g, 4.947 mmol) in toluene (20 mL). After
the mixture was stirred for 18 h at 80 °C, the solvent was removed in
vacuo to give (BDI-1)MgN(SiMe3)2 in quantitative yield. The light
yellow solid was recrystallized from toluene at -30 °C to yield colorless
(BDI-3)ZnN(SiMe3)2. To a solution of (BDI-3)H (0.523 g, 1.25
mmol) in toluene (5 mL) was added zinc bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (0.505
mL, 1.25 mmol) in toluene (5 mL). After being stirred for 18 h at 80
°C, the clear yellow solution was dried in vacuo, giving (BDI-3)ZnN-
1
blocks (2.48 g, 84% yield). H NMR (C6D6, 300 MHz): δ 7.12 (6H,
1
(SiMe3)2 in quantitative yield (0.804 g). H NMR (C6D6, 300 MHz):
br, ArH), 4.80 (1H, s, â-CH), 3.20 (4H, m, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMe2), 1.62
(6H, s, R-Me), 1.36 (12H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 1.14 (12H, d, J
) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 0.01 (18H, s, CH3) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (C6D6,
75 MHz): δ 170.43, 144.19, 141.86, 125.72, 123.95, 95.29, 28.69,
24.57, 24.39, 24.29, 5.05 ppm.
δ 7.11 (6H, br, ArH), 4.90 (1H, s, â-CH), 2.69 (4H, t, J ) 7.5 Hz,
CH2CH2CH3), 1.64 (14H, s, R-Me, CH2CH2CH3), 0.99 (12H, t, J )
7.5 Hz, CH2CH2CH3), 0.02 (18H, s, CH3) ppm.
[(BDI-2)ZnOiPr]2. To a solution of (BDI-2)ZnN(SiMe3)2 (0.449 g,
0.764 mmol) in toluene (6 mL) was added 2-propanol (58 µL, 0.763
mmol). After the solution was stirred at room temperature for 1 h, the
resulting slurry was dried in vacuo. The white solid was recrystallized
from toluene (10 mL) at -5 °C to yield [(BDI-2)ZnOiPr]2 as colorless
blocks (0.25 g, 67% yield). 1H NMR (CD2Cl2, 300 MHz) δ 7.11 (6H,
br, ArH), 4.74 (1H, s, â-CH), 3.46 (1H, m, J ) 5.9 Hz, OCHMe2),
2.45 (4H, m, J ) 7.5 Hz, CH2CH3), 1.94 (4H, m, J ) 7.5 Hz, CH2-
CH3), 1.41 (6H, s, R-Me), 0.98 (12H, t, J ) 7.5 Hz, CH2CH3), 0.81
(6H, d, J ) 5.9 Hz, OCHMe2) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (C6D6, 75 MHz):
δ 167.51, 147.72, 137.61, 125.52, 124.42, 94.78, 65.04, 27.79, 23.53,
23.49, 13.60 ppm. X-ray analysis of the crystals revealed that the
complex exists as a µ-isopropoxide-bridged dimer in the solid state
(see Supporting Information).
[(BDI-1)MgOiPr]2. To a solution of (BDI-1)MgN(SiMe2)2 (0.558
g, 0.926 mmol) in toluene (8 mL) was added 2-propanol (78 µL, 1.03
mmol). After the mixture was stirred for 4 h at room temperature, the
resulting white slurry was dried in vacuo. The white solid was then
recrystallized from toluene (30 mL) at room temperature to yield [(BDI-
1)MgOiPr]2 as colorless blocks (0.302 g, 65% yield). 1H NMR (toluene-
d8, 300 MHz): δ 7.07 (6H, m, ArH), 4.78 (1H, s, â-CH), 3.87 (1H, m,
J ) 6.0 Hz, OCHMe2), 3.45 (2H, m, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMe2), 3.11 (2H,
m, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMe2), 1.45 (6H, s, R-Me), 1.36 (6H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz,
CHMeMe), 1.23 (6H, d, J ) 6.0 Hz, OCHMe2), 1.16 (6H, d, J ) 7.0
Hz, CHMeMe), 1.07 (6H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 0.40 (6H, d, J )
7.0 Hz, CHMeMe) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (toluene-d8, 75 MHz):
δ
169.25, 161.15, 146.49, 142.42, 140.89, 137.51, 136.05, 128.95, 128.19,
125.49, 125.32, 123.65, 123.23, 123.02, 93.90, 53.60, 28.28, 28.00,
24.13, 23.40, 23.09, 22.77, 21.05, 20.42, 20.14 ppm. X-ray analysis of
the crystals revealed that the complex exists as a µ-isopropoxide-bridged
dimer in the solid state (see Supporting Information).
General Polymerization Procedure. A Schlenk flask was charged
with a 34 mM solution of the catalyst in methylene chloride. To this
solution was added a 0.40 M solution of monomer in methylene chloride
([monomer]:[Zn] ) 200:1). The reaction was stirred at the desired
temperature for the desired reaction time. After a small sample of the
crude material was removed for characterization, the reaction was
quenched with methanol (1 mL), the solution was concentrated in vacuo,
and the polymer was precipitated with excess methanol. The polymer
was then dried in vacuo to constant weight.
General Kinetic Procedure. A solution of catalyst in methylene
chloride (5 mL) was added to monomer (13 mL of a 1.39 M solution
in methylene chloride; resultant [LA]o ) 1.0 M). The mixture was then
stirred at 25 °C under N2. At appropriate time intervals, 0.5 mL aliquots
were removed and quenched with methanol (3 drops). The aliquots
were then dried to constant weight in vacuo and analyzed by 1H NMR.
X-ray Crystallography. Suitable crystals of each sample were
attached to a glass fiber with heavy-weight oil and mounted in the
Siemens SMART system for data collection at 173(2) K. Initial sets of
cell constants for each sample were calculated from reflections harvested
from three sets of 20 frames. These initial sets of frames were oriented
such that orthogonal wedges of reciprocal space were surveyed. This
produced orientation matrices from 248 reflections. In each case, final
cell constants were calculated from a set of no less than 5000 strong
reflections from the actual data collections. For each sample, a randomly
oriented region of reciprocal space was surveyed to the extent of 1.3
hemispheres to a resolution of 0.84 Å. Three major swaths of frames
were collected with 0.30° steps in ω.
[(BDI-3)ZnOiPr]2. To a solution of (BDI-3)ZnN(SiMe3)2 (0.80 g,
1.24 mmol) in toluene (6 mL) was added 2-propanol (95 µL, 1.24
mmol). After the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 h, the
resulting slurry was dried in vacuo. The white solid was recrystallized
from hexanes (10 mL) at 20 °C to yield [(BDI-3)ZnOiPr]2 as colorless
blocks (0.360 g, 54% yield). 1H NMR (C6D6, 300 MHz): δ 7.17 (6H,
br, ArH), 4.72 (1H, s, â-CH), 3.83 (1H, septet, J ) 5.9 Hz, OCHMe2),
2.71 (4H, m, CH2CH2CH3), 2.04 (4H, m, CH2CH2CH3), 1.67 (8H, m,
CH2CH2CH3), 1.46 (6H, s, R-Me), 1.18 (6H, d, J ) 5.9 Hz, OCHMe2),
0.99 (12H, t, J ) 7.2 Hz, CH2CH2CH3) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (C6D6, 75
MHz): δ 167.90, 148.17, 136.85, 128.45, 128.32, 128.00, 127.87,
127.81, 127.69, 126.61, 124.33, 118.93, 118.86, 94.68, 65.22, 32.88,
24.06, 23.10, 14.69 ppm. X-ray analysis of the crystals revealed that
the complex exists as a µ-isopropoxide-bridged dimer in the solid state
(see Supporting Information).
rac-(BDI-1)ZnOCH(Me)CO2Me. To a solution of (BDI-1)ZnN-
(SiMe3)2 (0.452 g, 0.703 mmol) in toluene (6 mL) was added rac-
methyl lactate (74 µL, 0.704 mmol). After the mixture was stirred for
5 h at room temperature, the resulting slurry was dried in vacuo.
Hexanes (20 mL) were added, and the precipitate was filtered through
a pad of Celite. The filtrate was then concentrated and cooled to -5
°C, whereupon rac-(BDI-1)ZnOCH(Me)CO2Me crystallized as colorless
blocks (0.167 g, 41% yield). 1H NMR (C6D6, 300 MHz): δ 7.08 (6H,
m, ArH), 4.94 (1H, s, â-CH), 4.29 (1H, quartet, J ) 7.0 Hz;
OCHMeCO2Me), 3.41 (4H, m, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMe2), 3.14 (3H, s, CO2-
Me), 1.73 (6H, s, R-Me), 1.41 (6H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 1.32
(6H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 1.19 (6H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe),
1.16 (6H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz, CHMeMe), 0.70 (3H, d, J ) 7.0 Hz,
OCHMeCO2Me) ppm. 13C{1H} NMR (C6D6, 75 MHz): δ 168.79,
144.43, 142.75, 142.56, 125.83, 123.89, 123.78, 93.98, 70.64, 52.88,
28.22, 28.17, 24.66, 24.48, 24.43, 23.72, 23.56 ppm (one resonance
missing possibly due to low resolution). X-ray analysis of the crystals
revealed that the complex exists as a monomer in the solid state (see
Supporting Information).
Space groups for each sample were determined on the basis of
systematic absences and intensity statistics. In each case, successful
direct-methods solutions were calculated which provided most non-
hydrogen atoms from the E-map. Several full-matrix least-squares/
difference Fourier cycles were then performed to locate the remainder
of the non-hydrogen atoms. For each sample, all non-hydrogen atoms
(BDI-1)ZnEt. To a solution of diethyl zinc (0.61 mL, 5.95 mmol)
in toluene (10 mL) was slowly added (BDI-1) (0.501 g, 1.196 mmol)
in toluene (10 mL) at 0 °C. After the mixture was stirred for 18 h at