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properties of polylactide depend upon the tacticity of the poly-
mer. With single-site catalysts, the monomer attachment occurs
at a metal center that in turn bound to an organic ligand. The
metal center reactivity is being modulated by the ancillary
ligand, which remains bound throughout the catalytic reaction.
Furthermore, the structure of ancillary ligand has a substantial
influence on the stereoregularity and hence, the tacticity of the
final polymeric material for appropriate applications.
Recently, the zinc-based catalysts for polymerization of lactide
have been reported by several groups [35–38]. Additionally, zinc
acetate in the presence of BnOH reported by Chakraborty group
has been shown the highest catalytic activity with no stereoregu-
larity over the microstructure of the obtained PLA using rac-lactide
[39].
2.3. Synthesis and characterization of ligand and complex
2.3.1. 5-Oxo-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (1-phenyl-ethyl)-amide
To the 2-amino-pentanedioic acid (5.0 g, 33.98 mmol) was
added S-methylbenzylamine (6 mL, 47.13 mmol) slowly at ambi-
ent temperature. The reaction mixture was stirred at 150 °C for
1 day and the progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. Light
brown solid product was obtained after pouring the reaction mix-
ture into dichloromethane and slowly evaporating the solvent at
room temperature followed by washing the solid residue several
times with diethyl ether (6.52 g, 83.0%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3)
d 7.31–7.00 (m, 1H), 5.12–5.05 (m, 1H), 4.04–4.03 (m, 1H), 2.47–
2.06 (m, 5H), 1.47 (d, J = 6.8 Hz, 3H). Analysis calculated for
C13H16N2O2: C, 67.22%; H, 6.94%; N, 12.06%. Found: C, 66.99%; H,
In this regard zinc based initiators for ROP of rac-lactide have
been reported by Coates group [(BDI)Zn(OiPr)]2 [(BDI) = 2-((2,
6-dialkylphenyl)amido)-4-((2,6-diiso-propylphenyl)imino)-2-pen-
tene] that showed high activity along with high stereoselective
for polylactide. The high heterotacticity (Pr) value obtained was
found to be 0.94, which is the highest ever reported [40]. Keeping
in view these facts, we describe herein, the synthesis, and struc-
tural characterization of mononuclear zinc complex (PPMA)ZnCl2
and the ability of its dimethyl derivative generated in situ to ini-
tiate the polymerization of rac-lactide, resulted in a high activity
and a high stereoselectivity compared to our previous reported
initiator ZnEt2(S-EPP) [41]. Further included in these studies is
the effect of inherent chirality on the tacticity of polylactide
afforded from ROP of rac-lactide. The X-ray crystal structure of
the pre-catalyst, (PPMA)ZnCl2, will also be described.
7.01%; N, 12.10%.
2.3.2. S-1-phenyl-N-(S-pyrrolidin-2-ylmethyl)ethanamine (PPMA)
To the THF (20 mL) solution of 5-oxo-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic
acid (1-phenyl-ethyl)-amide (2.0 g, 8.6 mmol) was added slowly
the THF (20 mL) solution of LiAlH4 (0.65 g, 17.2 mmol) at À78 °C.
The reaction mixture was stirred for one day at reflux temperature
after warming to room temperature. The progress of the reaction
was monitored by TLC. Excess of LiAlH4 was quenched with 2N
(10 mL) NaOH. The residue obtained after removing the solvent
was dissolved in 30 mL CH2Cl2 and washed with distilled water
(3 Â 20 mL). The CH2Cl2 solution of product was dried over anhy-
drous MgSO4. The solvent was evaporated to give yellow oil
(1.30 g, 74.0%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) d 7.32–7.20 (m, 5H),
3.75 (m, 1H), 3.23–3.12 (m, 1H), 2.90–2.82 (m, 2H), 2.43–2.27
(m, 2H), 1.85–1.60 (m, 5H), 1.34 (d, J = 6.4 Hz, 3H), 1.287–1.20
(m, 1H). Analysis calculated for C13H20N2: C, 76.42%; H, 9.87%; N,
13.71%. Found: C, 75.56%; H, 9.76%; N, 13.82%. IR (solid neat;
cmÀ1): 3060 (m), 2959 (w), 1664 (br, w), 1492 (w), 1450 (br,
m),1368 (w), 1351 (w), 1208 (w), 1128 (br, w), 1026 (w), 911
(w), 760 (s), 698 (s), 594 (w).
2. Experimental
2.1. Materials
All manipulations involved in the synthesis of ligands and com-
plexes were carried out by the use of bench top techniques in air
unless otherwise specified. All polymerizations were carried out
by the use of standard schlenk techniques, high vacuum, and glove
box under argon. THF was dried over Na/benzophenone ketyl,
while CH2Cl2 was dried over CaH2, these solvents were deoxygen-
ated by distillation under argon prior to use. EtOH and Et2O were
purchased from high grade commercial supplier and used as received.
Starting materials were obtained from high-grade commercial
suppliers and used without further purification. 3,6-dimethyl-1-
dioxane-2,5-dione (rac-lactide) was purchased from Aldrich and
stored in glove box and used without further purification. S-meth-
ylbenzylamine, zinc chloride and methyl lithium (1.6 M in diethyl
ether) were purchased from Aldrich and were used without further
purification. NMR solvents were purchased from Aldrich and stored
over 3 Å molecular sieves.
2.3.3. (PPMA) ZnCl2
A 100 mL, one-necked round-bottom flask was charged with
ZnCl2 (0.66 g, 4.90 mmol) and EtOH (5 mL) and stirred to make
homogenous solution followed by the addition of EtOH solution
(5 mL) of PPMA (1.0 g, 4.90 mmol). The mixture was stirred at
ambient temperature for 12 h and the progress of reaction was
monitored by TLC. The solid product was filtered and washed with
cold EtOH (3 Â 5 mL) and dried in vacuo (1.4 g, 84.0%). 1H NMR
(400 MHz, CDCl3) d 7.35–7.23 (m, 5H), 3.94 (m, 1H), 3.60–3.75
(m, 2H), 3.24 (m, 2H), 3.00–3.16 (m, 2H), 2.32–2.36 (m, 1H),
2.04–2.14 (m, 1H), 1.68–1.95 (m, 4H), 1.60 (d, J = 6.8 Hz, 3H). Anal-
ysis calculated for C13H20Cl2N2Zn: C, 45.84%; H, 5.92%; N, 8.22%.
Found: C, 45.80%; H, 5.90%; N, 8.19%. IR (solid neat; cmÀ1): 3233
(br, w), 3207 (w), 2970 (w), 1464 (w), 1453 (w), 1428 (w), 1382
(w), 1281 (w), 1222 (w), 1197 (m), 1129 (w), 1074 (s), 1047 (s),
1025 (m), 1005 (w), 985 (w), 964 (w), 936 (w),1368 (w), 896
(s),778 (m), 764 (s), 703 (s), 656 (w), 625 (m), 594 (w), 565 (m).
2.2. Instrumentation
1H NMR (400 MHz) spectra were recorded on a Bruker Advance
Digital 400-NMR spectrometer and chemical shifts were recorded
in ppm units using SiMe4 as an internal standard. Infrared (IR)
spectra were recorded on Bruker FT/IR-Alpha (neat) and the data
are reported in reciprocal centimeters. Elemental analyses were
performed by Fison-EA1108. Gel permeation chromatography
(GPC) analyses were carried out on a Waters Alliance GPCV2000,
equipped with differential refractive index detectors at the Chem-
ical Analysis Laboratory of the Center for Scientific Instruments of
Kyungpook National University. The GPC columns were eluted
using THF with 1 ml/min rate at 25 °C and were calibrated with
monodisperse polystyrene standards.
2.4. Polymerization of rac-lactide with in situ generated
(PPMA)ZnMe2
(PPMA)ZnCl2 (0.18 g, 0.5 mmol) and dried THF (7.3 mL) were
added to a 100 mL of schlenk flask to make a homogenous solution.
To this solution was added MeLi (0.65 mL of 1.6 M solution in
diethyl ether, 1 mmol) drop wise at À78 °C. After being stirred
for 2 h at room temperature, the resulting solution of
(PPMA)ZnMe2 was used as a catalyst for polymerization reaction.
The general procedure for the polymerization reaction was as fol-
lows: a 100 mL of schlenk flask was charged with rac-lactide
(0.991 g, 6.8 mmol) in the glove box. Dried CH2Cl2 (5 mL) was