Pentacoordinated iron(II) complexes with 2,6-bis[(imino)ethyl]pyridine-Schiff base ligands as new catalyst systems mediated atom transfer radical polymerization of (meth)acrylate monomers

2,6-bis[1-(cis)-myrtanylimino)ethyl]pyridineiron(II) chloride (2) and 2,6-bis[(1-phenylimino)ethyl]pyridineiron(II) chloride (3) were investigated as novel complexes for iron-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) using toluene as the solvent, and ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate as the initiator. A catalyst/initiator molar ratio as low as 0.1/1 was used in order to reduce catalyst contamination to the polymers. Both complexes produced PMMA and PtBA polymers with controlled structures and very low molecular weight distributions as low as 1.07, in particular for complex 3. High to moderate conversions (30–45%) were obtained in 20 h, although very diluted amount of catalyst was used and in the absence of any reducing agent which indicates an efficient catalyst system. The resulting polymers were characterized by NMR, GPC, and DSC. Syndio-rich atactic poly(t-BA) and poly(MMA) with relatively high [rr] diads (50%, 42%, respectively) were isolated.