Borinane Boosted Bifunctional Organocatalysts for Ultrafast Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclic Ethers

The design of reactive species that can either serve to initiate the ring-opening polymerization epoxides for synthesis high molar mass polyethers or be alternatively used catalyze polyether telechelics in presence chain transfer agents has long been an elusive goal. Here, we report a series bifunctional borinane-based catalysts enable living with unprecedented activity (TOF ? 1.8 × 105 h–1) and up 106 g/mol under mild conditions. When along generate low Mn telechelics, same exhibit productivity even loading amounts as 50 ppb ethylene oxide polymerization. These newly designed also afford oxetane record TOF values masses.