Magnesium complexes containing bis-amido-oxazolinate ligands as efficient catalysts for ring opening polymerisation of L-lactide

A series of magnesium bis(amido-oxazolinate) complexes have been described. Reactions of six amido-oxazolinate ligand precursors, HNC(2)(Me)Oxa, HNC(2)(OMe)Oxa, HNC(2)(StBu)Oxa, HNPhOxa, HNPh(OMe)Oxa or HNPh(SMe)Oxa, with half molar equivalent of (MgBu2)-Bu-n in hexane yield the magnesium bis(amido-oxazolinate) complexes, (NC(2)(E)Oxa)(2)Mg [C-2(E) = propyl, (NC(2)(Me)Oxa)(2)Mg (1); C-2(E) = 2-methoxyethyl, (NC(2)(OMe)Oxa)(2)Mg (2); C-2(E) = 2-tert-butylthioethyl, (NC(2)(StBu)Oxa)(2)Mg (3)], or magnesium bis(anilido-oxazolinate) complexes, (NArOxa)(2)Mg [Ar = phenyl, (NPhOxa)(2)Mg (4); Ar = 2-methoxyphenyl, (NPh(OMe)Oxa)(2)Mg (5); Ar = 2-methylthiophenyl, (NPh(SMe)Oxa)(2)Mg (6)], respectively. The molecular structures are reported for compounds 1, 2, 5 and 6. Their catalytic activities toward the ring opening polymerisation of L-lactide in the presence of benzyl alcohol are also under investigation.