Rationalizing the Reactivity of Mixed Allyl Rare-Earth Borohydride Complexes with DFT Studies

Abstract

The reactivity of rare-earth complexes RE(BH4)2(C3H5)(THF)x (RE = La, Nd, Sm, Y, Sc) toward the Ring-Opening Polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) was rationalized by Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Even if the polymerization reaction can be initiated by both RE-(BH4) and RE-allyl bonds, experimental investigations have shown that the initiation via the borohydride ligand was favored, as no allyl group could be detected at the chain-end of the resulting polymers. DFT studies could confirm these observations, as it was highlighted that even if the activation barriers are both accessible, the allyl group is not active for the ROP of ε-CL due to the formation of a highly stable intermediate that disfavors the subsequent ring-opening.