Polymerizations of Cyclic Esters Catalyzed by Titanium Complexes Having Chalcogen-Bridged Chelating Diaryloxo Ligands

A series of titanium complexes having tellurium-bridged chelating bis(aryloxo) ligands, [TiX2{2,2‘-Te(4-Me-6-tBu-C6H2O)2}]2 (5:  X = Cl; 6:  X = OiPr), catalyzed the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters such as e-caprolactone, δ-valerolactone, and l-lactide. The strong dependence of polymerizations on the solvent was observed in this catalytic system. When the polymerizations of e-caprolactone and l-lactide were carried out in toluene at 100 °C, tellurium-bridged bis(aryloxo)titanium complex 5 was found to give polymers with rather broad molecular weight distribution due to back-biting. When the polymerizations of e-caprolactone and l-lactide was carried out in anisole or in dioxane…