{
  "abstract": "Reconciling high catalytic activity with air/moisture stability remains a fundamental challenge in the development of efficient organometallic catalysts for the ring‑opening polymerization (ROP). In this contribution, we present a dynamic Lewis-base coordination strategy that regulates the coordination environment of an organoaluminum catalyst to balance these competing requirements. A structurally simple organoaluminum catalyst featuring a dynamic THF ligand, MeAl(BHT)2(THF) (BHT = 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy), is easily prepared from commercially available trimethylaluminum, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol and tetrahydrofuran (THF) without tedious purification. In contrast to the parent MeAl(BHT)2, MeAl(BHT)2(THF) exhibits substantially enhanced air/moisture tolerance while retaining good catalytic activity and controllability toward the ROP of a diversity of lactones and lactide. Notably, MeAl(BHT)2(THF) enable controlled ROP of commercially as-received monomers without prior drying or purification. In particular, MeAl(BHT)2(THF) achieves a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 8400 h-1 for the bulk ROP of l-lactide conducted at 180 °C in air. The single-crystal structural analysis and in-situ NMR experiments collaboratively confirm the dynamic coordination and dissociation of the THF ligand, which accounts for the balance of high activity and moisture tolerance. This dynamic ligand strategy affords a robust organometallic catalyst with facile preparation, good activity and ambient stability, facilitating practical scalable aliphatic polyester synthesis.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Polymer and Manufacturing Technology; Shandong Key Laboratory of Advanced Organosilicon Materials and Technologies; College of Polymer Science and Engineering",
    "Qingdao University of Science and Technology",
    "College of Chemical Engineering",
    "College of Material Science and Engineering",
    "State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Low-carbon Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310058"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Qin Yan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Pingtao Ge"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Shuyi Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yong Shen",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8624-2662"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Zhibo Li"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1zmz7rp4hbdsx.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009113/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1zmz7rp4hbdsx",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009113/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2502|biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213950419",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009113/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-20",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1zmz7rp4hbdsx.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15009113",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15009113/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2502|biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Dynamic Coordination Enables Moisture-Tolerant Organoaluminum Catalysis for Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization",
  "title_text": "Dynamic Coordination Enables Moisture-Tolerant Organoaluminum Catalysis for Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1zmz7rp4hbdsx",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}