Metal complexes derived from the o-xylylidene ligand, o-C6H4(CH2–)2, and the X-ray crystal and molecular structure of the metallocycle [Zr(η-C5H5)2{(CH2)2C6H4-o}]

Abstract

From the new di-Grignard reagent o-C₆H₄-(CH₂MgCl)₂[abbreviated as L(MgCl)₂](i) the thermally stable metallobenzocyclopentenes [M(η-C₅H₄R)₂L](R = Me₃Si and M = Ti, Zr, or Hf; or R = H and M = Ti or Zr) and [Pt(cod)L], (ii) the η¹-diacyl [[graphic omitted](:O)}]via[Hf(η-C₅H₄-SiMe₃)₂L] and CO, and (iii) the pyrophoric ML₂(thf)(M = Ti, Zr, or Hf) and MgL(thf) have been obtained; X-ray analysis of the title compound to R= 0·021 shows an average Zr–CH₂ distance of 2·300(2)Å, ∠CH₂ZrCH₂= 77·4(2)°, with the methylene carbons 0·11 and 0·12 Å out of the plane of the C₆ ring.