Synthesis, structure and application to l-lactide polymerization of a new phenoxy-imine iron(III) complex

•A new iron(III) phenoxy-imine was synthesized and characterized.•The iron center is in an octahedral environment bearing two phenoxy-imine ligands.•The iron complex was able to initiate l-lactide polymerization.•Preliminary results suggest “coordination–insertion” mechanism for the polymerization.

A new iron(III) phenoxy-imine complex was prepared and characterized. The molecular structure of the complex was determined by X-ray diffraction study. The X-ray analysis shows that the central atom is surrounded by two molecules of ligand 2-[[(2-hydroxyethyl)imino]methyl]-phenol in a tridentate coordination mode. The neutral complex can initiate solvent-free ring opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide.

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