Dialkylgallium Alkoxides Stabilized with <i>N</i>‑Heterocyclic Carbenes: Opportunities and Limitations for
the Controlled and Stereoselective Polymerization of <i>rac</i>-Lactide
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Abstract
The structure of a series of Me<sub>2</sub>GaOR(NHC) complexes
with <i>N</i>-heterocyclic carbenes (1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene
(SIMes) and 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IMes))
have been characterized using spectroscopic and X-ray techniques and
discussed in view of their reactivity in the polymerization of <i>rac</i>-lactide (<i>rac</i>-LA). Both structure studies
and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show the significant
influence of NHC and OR on the structure of investigated complexes
and has indicated that the Ga–C<sub>NHC</sub> bond (32.6–39.6
kcal mol<sup>–1</sup>) is strong enough to form stable Me<sub>2</sub>GaOR(NHC) complexes in the form of monomeric species. The
reactivity of Me<sub>2</sub>Ga((<i>S</i>)-OCH(Me)CO<sub>2</sub>Me)(SIMes) (<b>1</b>) and Me<sub>2</sub>Ga((<i>S</i>)-OCH(Me)CO<sub>2</sub>Me)(IMes) (<b>5</b>) toward
Lewis acids such as CO<sub>2</sub> and GaMe<sub>3</sub> has resulted
in breaking of the Ga–C<sub>NHC</sub> bond with the formation
of (NHC)CO<sub>2</sub> and Me<sub>3</sub>Ga(NHC) (<b>8</b> and <b>10</b>) and [Me<sub>2</sub>Ga(μ-(<i>S</i>)-OCH(Me)CO<sub>2</sub>Me)]<sub>2</sub>. Different results have been obtained for
l,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imidazolin-2-ylidene (SIPr), which
coordinates more weakly to gallium, as demonstrated by the Ga–C<sub>NHC</sub> bond strength for model Me<sub>3</sub>GaSIMes, Me<sub>3</sub>GaIMes (<b>8</b>), and Me<sub>3</sub>GaSIPr (<b>10</b>) adducts. The reaction of SIPr with [Me<sub>2</sub>Ga(μ-OR)]<sub>2</sub> has not allowed for the breaking of Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> bridges and the formation of monomeric Me<sub>2</sub>GaOR(SIPr)
complexes, contrary to SIMes and IMes. In the case of the reaction
with [Me<sub>2</sub>Ga(μ-(<i>S</i>)-OCH(Me)CO<sub>2</sub>Me)]<sub>2</sub>, the ionic compound [Me<sub>2</sub>Ga(OCH(Me)CO<sub>2</sub>)]<sup>−</sup>[SIPrH]<sup>+</sup> (<b>9</b>)
has been isolated. The investigated Me<sub>2</sub>GaOR(NHC) complexes
are highly active and stereoselective in the ring-opening polymerization
of <i>rac</i>-lactide from −20 °C to room temperature,
due to the insertion of <i>rac</i>-LA exclusively into the
Ga–O<sub>alkoxide</sub> bond, leading to isotactically enriched
polylactide (PLA) (<i>P</i><sub>m</sub> = 0.65–0.78).
It has been shown that the polymerization of lactide at low temperature
is influenced by the chelate interaction of (<i>S</i>)-OCH(Me)CO<sub>2</sub>Me or (OCH(Me)C(O))<sub>2</sub>OR resulting from the primary
insertion of <i>rac</i>-LA into the Ga–O<sub>alkoxide</sub> bond, with the Ga center, which can be responsible for the low control
over the molecular weight of the obtained PLA. The latter effect can
be eliminated by the initial synthesis of Me<sub>2</sub>Ga((PLA)<sub><i>n</i></sub>OR)(NHC) with short PLA chains, which allows
for controlled polymerization. Although the adverse chelate effect
can be also eliminated by the polymerization of <i>rac</i>-LA at room temperature, the stereoselectivity of <i>rac</i>-LA polymerization is strongly affected by transesterification reactions.
Out of investigated Me<sub>2</sub>GaOR(SIMes) and Me<sub>2</sub>GaOR(IMes)
complexes, only the latter allowed for the immortal ring opening polymerization
of <i>rac</i>-LA in the presence of <sup><i>i</i></sup>PrOH