Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of dichloro[S-1-phenyl-N-(S-pyrrolidin-2-ylmethyl)ethanamine]zinc(II) and its catalytic application to rac-lactide polymerization

► Dichloro [{S-1-phenyl-N-(S-pyrrolidin-2-ylmethyl)ethanamine} zinc(II)] as a catalyst precursor for polylactide. ► Dimethyl derivative showed high activity for ROP of rac-lactide. ► Living polymerization with heterotacticity ranges from 0.71 to 0.75.