Intramolecular activation of pendant alkenyl group as a tool for modification of the zirconocene framework

The diphenyl zirconocene (η⁵-C₅H₅){η⁵-C₅H₄CMe₂(CH₂)₂CHCH₂}ZrPh₂] (2) was readily obtained from the corresponding zirconocene dichloride 1 and two equivalents of phenyllithium. Upon thermal treatment at 80 °C, complex 2 released benzene, with concomitant activation of the pendant double bond and formation of intramolecularly α-tethered zirconaindane (η⁵-C₅H₅){η⁵,η¹,η¹-C₅H₄CMe₂(CH₂)₂CHCH₂C₆H₄}Zr] (3). Both Zr-C σ-bonds in 3 easily undergo nucleophilic reactions with two equivalents of HCl or one equivalent of Cl₂PPh giving rise to zirconocene dichlorides with pendant phenyl group (η⁵-C₅H₅){η⁵-C₅H₄CMe₂(CH₂)₄Ph}ZrCl₂] (4) or with 1-phenylphosphindolinyl moiety (η⁵-C₅H₅){η⁵-C₅H₄CMe₂(CH₂)₂cyclo-CHCH₂C₆H₄P(Ph)}ZrCl₂] (5), respectively.