An e.s.r. study of the photochemistry of zirconocene(IV) alkyls and chlorides

Abstract

Low temperature photolysis in PhMe or MeC₆H₁₁ of various zirconocene(IV) alkyls, aryls, chlorides, cyclopentadienyls, or hydrides [Zr(η-C₅H₅)₂(R)X] leads to the e.s.r. characterisation of a number of Zr^III complexes: [Zr(η-C₅H₅)₂R](1) and [Zr(η-C₅H₅)R₂] as well as their phosphine adducts, [Zr(η-C₅H₅Cl)], and a Zr^III hydride (2), the primary photo-products from [Zr(η-C₅H₅)₂R₂](e.g., R CH₂Ph) are (1) and R; with (2) derived from (1) by a dark reaction.