Mononuclear and Dinuclear Yttrium Complexes Supported by Pyrrolide Ligands: Syntheses, Structures and Catalytic Behaviors towards the Ring-opening Polymerization of ε-Caprolactone

The syntheses, structures and catalytic activities of two yttrium complexes supported by pyrrolide ligands are reported. Treatment of Y(N(Si Me3)2)3 with one equivalent of H3bptd(H3bptd = 1,9-bis(2-pyrrolyl)-2,5,8-triazanona-1,8-diene) in THF gave a complex of composition [Y(bptd)(THF)]2(1). Reaction of Y(N(Si Me3)2)3 with one equivalent of H3tpa(H3tpa = tris(pyrrolyl-?-methyl)amine) in THF generated [Y(tpa)(THF)3](2) in good yield. Complexes 1and 2 have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses and NMR spectroscopy. Complex 1 is dinuclear. The two metal centers are doubly bridged by two amine nitrogen atoms to form a Y–N–Y–N four-membered rhombus ring. The geometries of Y3+ ions in 1and 2 are well described as pentagonal bipyramid and capped octahedron, respectively. The ring-opening polymerization reactions of ?-caprolactone initiated by 1 and 2, respectively, were investigated. They both exhibited good catalytic activity for the polymerization of ?-caprolactone. All of the obtained polymers have high molecular weights and relatively narrower PDIs. The polymers generated by 2 possessed polydispersity close to 1.1. The good catalytic activities of 1 and 2 reveal their potential applications in polymer industry.