Synthesis of ferrocene‐containing N ‐aryloxo β‐ketoiminate lanthanide complexes and polymerization of ε‐caprolactone

The synthesis, characterization and ε‐caprolactone polymerization behavior of lanthanide amido complexes stabilized by ferrocene‐containing N ‐aryloxo functionalized β‐ketoiminate ligand FcCOCH 2 C(Me)N(2‐HO‐5‐Bu t ‐C 6 H 3 ) (LH 2 , Fc = ferrocenyl) are described. The lanthanide amido complexes [LLnN(SiMe 3 ) 2 (THF)] 2 [Ln = Nd ( 1 ), Sm ( 2 ), Yb ( 3 ), Y ( 4 )] were synthesized in good yields by the amine elimination reactions of LH 2 with Ln[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 3 (µ‐Cl)Li(THF) 3 in a 1:1 molar ratio in THF. These complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, and 1 H NMR spectroscopy was added for the analysis of complex 4 . The definitive molecular structures of complexes 1 and 3 were determined by X‐ray diffraction studies. Complexes 1 – 4 can initiate the ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone with moderate activity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.