Novel cerium(IV)-diolate complex with a 13-nuclear cerium(IV)-oxo core: Synthesis, molecular structure and catalytic property for ε-caprolactone-polymerization

The reaction of Ce((OBu)-Bu-t)(2)(NO3)(2), prepared in situ from (NH4)(2)Ce(NO3)(6) and (BuONa)-Bu-t in a 1:4 M ratio in THF, and N-phenyldiethanolamine (C6H5)N(CH2CH2OH)(2) in a 1:1 M ratio led to a brown solution, to which 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) was added. Yellow crystals of Ce(NO3)3(phen)2 and red crystals of Ce13O8ROCH2CH2)(2)N(C6H5)](18) (1) were produced respectively at 40 degrees C. Complex 1 is a novel polynuclear cerium(IV)-diolate compound with an 18 N-phenylaminediethanolate shell and a 13-nuclear cerium(IV)-oxo core. It catalyzed the polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) to produce PCL in very narrow molecular weight distribution. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.