Dimeric aluminum methyl complex bridged by 2-oxy-2-methyl-1-(phenylamino)propane: Synthesis, structure, and use in ring opening polymerization of lactide

A dimeric aluminum complex bridged by alkoxide with pendant aniline group was synthesized and characterized. X-ray analysis revealed that the two four-coordinate aluminum centers possess a distorted tetrahedral geometry with C2h symmetry. The compound was used as an effective catalyst for the controlled ring opening polymerization of L-lactide, as shown by the linearity of the number average of the molecular weight of polylactides versus conversion, as well as narrow Mw/Mn values.