Zirconium enolate radical cations in solution—characterisation and kinetics of their mesolytic Zr–O bond cleavage†

Abstract

Six zirconocene enolate radical cations and one hydroquinone biszirconocene radical cation have been generated and characterised in solution by standard and fast scan cyclic voltammetry. The electroanalytical results along with those from product analysis of preparative one-electron oxidations indicate that the sterically congested radical cations undergo a mesolytic Zr–O bond cleavage process. The kinetics of the mesolytic Zr–O bond cleavage yielding zirconocene cations and the lifetime (t_½) of the zirconium enolate radical cations in dichloromethane at room temperature are determined.