Synthesis and characterization of Zr, Ti, Al-phthalate and pyridine-2-carboxylate compounds and their use in ring opening polymerization

Zirconium, titanium and aluminum phthalate (PH, C8H4O4) and pyridine-2-carboxylate (Pyca, C6H4NO2) compounds were prepared by reaction of Zr, Ti and Al-alkoxides with phthalic acid (PHA) and pyridine-2-carboxylic acid (PycaH) in alcohol. All new complexes were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, NMR and FTIR spectroscopy and used in polymerization of 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTS) in order to see their catalytic activity over epoxides. Especially, Al, Ti and Zr-phthalate catalysts were more effective in ring opening of GPTS when compared to Al, Ti and Zr-pyridine-2-carboxylate catalysts. Poly-GPTS were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

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► Synthesis of new catalysts of zirconium, titanium and aluminum.
► High activity of the catalysts in mild conditions with respect to the reported acid catalysts.
► Application of solvent free conditions in the polymerization reactions.
► Characterization of poly-GPTS by GPC and spectroscopic methods.