Carbon–hydrogen bond activation by an electron deficient bis(aryl)(cyclo-octatetraene)zirconium(IV) complex: stepwise thermal rearrangement of bis(σ-mesityl)(η8-cyclo-octatetraene)zirconium(IV) to a complex containing a bridging mesityl, then a bridging alkylidene
Abstract
A stepwise thermal rearrangement of [(η8-C8H8)Zr(Mes)2](Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2) led to the loss of mesitylene and to a dinuclear complex,[(η8-C8H8)2Zr(µ-2,4-Me 2-6CH2C6H2)2], containing two bridging η3-benzylic groups, which further rearranged to a complex containing a bridging mesityl and a bridging alkylidene ligand, as shown by the X-ray analysis on both complexes.