Polymerisation process

A process for the preparation of a polycarbonate, the process comprising the following step:

• a) contacting carbon dioxide with at least one epoxide,
• wherein step a) is conducted in the presence of a compound of Formula I shown below:
• wherein
• M1 is selected from the group consisting of a group 2 metal, a group 3 metal, a transition metal, a group 13 metal, a group 14 metal and a lanthanide;
• M2 is selected from a group 1 metal, a group 2 metal, a group 3 metal, a group 13 metal or a lanthanide;
• R1 is selected from (2-5C)alkylene, (2-5C)alkenylene or (2-5C)alkynylene, wherein 0, 1 or 2 carbon atoms within any one of the said (2-5C)alkylene, (2-5C)alkenylene and (2-5C)alkynylene is replaced with a heteroatom selected from O or N, and wherein any carbon, O or N atom within the said (2-5C)alkylene, (2-5C)alkenylene and (2-5C)alkynylene may be independently optionally substituted with one or more Rx;
• each Rx is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-20C)alkyl, (2-20C)alkenyl, (2-20C)alkynyl, (1-20C)haloalkyl, (1-20C)alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl and —NRxaRxb, where any aryl or heteroaryl in Rx is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-20C)alkyl, (1-20C)haloalkyl or (1-20C)alkoxy, and where Rxa and Rxb are independently selected from hydrogen or (1-3C)alkyl,
• and/or
• two or more Rx located on adjacent atoms are linked to one another, such that when taken in combination with the atoms to which they are attached, they form a monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein any of the said monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-20C)alkyl, (1-20C)haloalkyl or (1-20C)alkoxy;
• each R2 is independently selected from absent, hydrogen, (1-4C)alkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl, aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl, —C(O)—R2a, —C(O)—OR2a or —C(O)—NR2aR2b, where any aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl in R2 is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy, and where R2a and R2b are independently selected from hydrogen and or (1-3C)alkyl;
• each X1 is independently selected from —CH—, —CR4—, —CH2—, —CHR4—, —CR4R4 or —PR4R4—, where each R4 is independently selected from (1-4C)alkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl, aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl or heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl, where any aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl in R4 is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy;
• E1 is C and E2 is O, S or N;
• or E1 is N and E2 is O;
• each R3 is independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl, (1-4C)alkoxy, aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl, —C(O)—R3a, —C(O)—OR3a, —O—C(O)—R3a, —C(O)—NR3aR3b, —N(R3a)C(O)—R3b or —NR3aR3b, where any aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl in R3 is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy, and where R3a and R3b are independently selected from hydrogen or (1-3C)alkyl;
• and/or
• two R3 located on adjacent atoms are linked to one another, such that when taken in combination with the atoms to which they are attached, they form a monocyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein any of the said monocyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy;
• each n is independently selected from 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• L1 and L2 are independently selected from absent, halo, nitrate, hydroxy, (1-20C)alkyl, (2-20C)alkenyl, (2-20C)alkynyl, (1-20C) heteroaliphatic, carbocyclyl, carbocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, aryl, aryl(1-3C)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(1—3C)alkyl, —O—C(O)—Ra, —O—C(O)O—Ra, —OP(O)(Ra)2, —P(O)(ORa)2, —ORa, —O—S(O)2—Ra (e.g. triflate), —O—S(O)—(Ra)2, —O—S(O)—Ra, —S(O)—Ra, —S—C(O)—Ra, —S—C(S)—O—Ra, —N(H) S(O)2—Ra (e.g. triflamide), —N—(S(O)2—Ra)2 (e.g. triflimide), —S—Ra, —N(Ra)—C(O)—Ra, —C(O)—N(Ra)2, —N(Ra)2 or —O—Si(Ra)x(ORa)y (where x and y are independently 0, 1, 2 or 3, with the proviso that x+y=3), in which any of the said (1-20C)alkyl, (2-20C)alkenyl, (2-20C)alkynyl, (1-20C)heteroaliphatic, carbocyclyl, carbocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, aryl, aryl(1-3C)alkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaryl(1-3C)alkyl within L1 or L2 is optionally substituted with one or more Rb, with the proviso that at least one of L1 and L2 is not absent;
• Ra is independently selected from hydrogen, (1-25C)alkyl, (2-25C)alkenyl, (2-25C)alkynyl, (1-25C)heteroaliphatic, carbocyclyl, carbocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, aryl, aryl(1-3C)alkyl, heteroaryl or heteroaryl(1-3C)alkyl, where any (1-25C)alkyl, (2-25C)alkenyl, (2-25C)alkynyl, (1-25C)heteroaliphatic, carbocyclyl, carbocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl(1-3C)alkyl, aryl, aryl(1-3C)alkyl, heteroaryl or heteroaryl(1-3C)alkyl present in Ra is independently substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, (1-4C)alkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl or (1-4C)alkoxy;
• each Rb is independently substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl or (1-4C)alkoxy;
• G1 and G2 are independently selected from absent and a neutral or anionic donor ligand that is a Lewis base;
• Q has a structure according to Q-I or Q-II shown below:
• each X2 is independently absent or (1-3C)alkylene, where said (1-3C)alkylene is optionally substituted with 1 or 2 groups independently selected from (1-2C)alkyl;
• each X3 is independently absent or (1-3C)alkylene, where said (1-3C)alkylene is optionally substituted with 1 or 2 groups independently selected from (1-2C)alkyl;
• each X4 is independently absent or methylene that is optionally substituted with 1 or 2 groups independently selected from (1-2C)alkyl;
• m is 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• each R5 is independently selected from hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl, (1-4C)alkoxy, aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl, —C(O)—R5a, —C(O)—OR5a, —O—C(O)—R5a, —C(O)—NR5aR5b, —N(R5a) C(O)—R5b or —NR5aR5b, where any aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl in R5 is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy, and where R5a and R5b are independently selected from hydrogen or (1-3C)alkyl,
• and/or
• two R5 located on adjacent atoms are linked to one another, such that when taken in combination with the atoms to which they are attached, they form a monocyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein any of the said monocyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy;
• each R6 is independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (2-4C)alkenyl, (2-4C)alkynyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl, (1-4C)alkoxy, aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl, —C(O)—R6a, —C(O)—OR6a, —O—C(O)—R6a, —C(O)—NR6aR6b, —N(R6a)C(O)—R6b or —NR6aR6b, where any aryl, aryl(1-2C)alkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaryl(1-2C)alkyl in R6 is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy, and where R6a and R6b are independently selected from hydrogen or (1-3C)alkyl,
• and/or
• two R6 located on adjacent atoms are linked to one another, such that when taken in combination with the atoms to which they are attached, they form a monocyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein any of the said monocyclic aromatic, heteroaromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system is optionally substituted with one or more groups independently selected from halo, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)haloalkyl or (1-4C)alkoxy;
• each p is independently selected from 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• and
• each R7 is independently selected from hydrogen or (1-3C)alkyl.