A trinuclear barium aminebis(phenolate) complex has been synthesized and characterized in solution and in the solid state. The complex has been used as a ring-opening polymerization initiator for ε-caprolactone and l-lactide; to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a barium species has been utilized in such applications. The initiator was active and produced high molecular weight polymers with polydispersity indices of 1.26−1.57. The graphic highlights the metal−heteroatom framework of the complex, which consists of an assembly of 13 fused rings.
The synthesis and structural characterization of an unusualtrinuclear barium aminebis(phenolate) complex are reported alongwith its application as an initiator for the ring-opening polymerizationof ε-caprolactone and l-lactide.