Alkali metal⋯methyl short contacts in aluminates: more than agostic interactions.

Knowing the nature and strength of noncovalent interactions is key to enhancing the synthetic methods and catalytic processes in which they are involved. We present herein the synthesis and characterization of a novel aluminium sodium oximate compound, followed by a comprehensive computational study of the sodium⋯methyl interaction that appears in its crystal structure. Our experimental results have been compared to a large set of structural data retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database in order to assess the main geometrical preferences of these interactions.

Ring-Opening Polymerization of -Lactide Catalyzed by Potassium-Based Complexes: Mechanistic Studies.

Two non-toxic potassium compounds, and , with a commercial oximate ligand have been prepared and fully spectroscopically characterized. Their activity as catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) process of LLA has been studied, showing that they are extremely active and able to polymerize the monomer in a few minutes. For derivative , the presence of a crown ether in the potassium coordination sphere affects the nuclearity of the compound and consequently its solubility, with both aspects having an influence in the polymerization process.