Triamidoamine-supported zirconium: hydrogen activation, Lewis acidity, and rac-lactide polymerization

Abstract

Investigation of a triamidoamine-supported zirconium hydride intermediate, important to a range of catalytic reactions, revealed the potential Lewis acidity of [k5-N,N,N,N,C-(Me3SiNCH2CH2)2NCH2CH2NSiMe2CH2]Zr (1). A preliminary study of 1 as a precursor for the polymerization of rac-lactide showed modest activity but indicated that five-coordinate zirconium complexes with tetra-N donor ligands may be an avenue for further development in group 4 metal lactide polymerization catalysis.