Dinuclear metal catalysts: improved performance of heterodinuclear mixed catalysts for CO₂-epoxide copolymerization

Chem Commun (Camb). 2014 Apr 25;50(32):4164-7. doi: 10.1039/c3cc49158g.

Abstract

Some of the most active catalysts for carbon dioxide and epoxide copolymerization are dinuclear metal complexes. Whilst efficient homodinuclear catalysts are known, until now heterodinuclear catalysts remain unreported. Here, a facile, in situ route to a catalyst system comprising a mixture of homo- and heteronuclear Zn-Mg complexes is presented. This catalyst system shows excellent polymerization control and exhibits significantly higher activity than the homodinuclear catalysts alone or in combination.