Aluminium complexes containing indolyl-phenolate ligands as catalysts for ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters

A family of aluminium complexes supported by mono-anionic indolyl-phenolate ligands are described. Reactions of indolyl-phenolate based ligand precursors, IndHPh(R)OH, with 1.0 or 0.5 equivalents of AlMe(2)Cl in toluene afforded aluminium indolyl-phenolate complexes 1–4 and aluminium bis-indolyl-phenolate complexes 5–8 respectively. The molecular structure is reported for 5. Based on the NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic studies, a 1,3-hydrogen shift could happen from nitrogen to carbon on the five-membered ring of the indolyl group upon reacting with aluminium reagents. These novel aluminium complexes demonstrate catalytic activities toward the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters in the presence of alcohol.