Epoxide polymerization and copolymerization with carbon dioxide using diethylaluminum chloride - 25,27-dimethoxy-26,28-dihydroxy-p-tert-butyl-calix-[4]arene system as a new homogeneous catalyst

Previously unknown substituted chelate phenolatoaluminum chloride, (25,27-dimethoxy-p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-26,28-diolato) aluminum chloride, was derived from the reaction of diethyl-aluminum chloride and 25,27-dimethoxy-26,28-dihydroxy-p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene at reactants 1:1 mole ratio. It was applied successfully for the polymerization of propylene oxide and cyclohexene oxide, and their copolymerization with carbon dioxide, leading to respective oligomers and co-oligomers. The catalyst structure and the structure of the obtained low-molecular-weight polymers and copolymers were studied using NMR spectroscopy. Poly(propylene oxide) obtained in the presence of the studied catalyst appeared to contain isotactic diads predominantly, whereas the obtained poly(cyclohexene oxide) did not exhibit any significantly prevailing sequences of either isotactic nor syndiotactic diads. The polymerization mechanism has been proposed and discussed in view of the obtained results.