Synthesis and X-ray structures of the five-coordinate zirconocene complexes PhP(CH2CH2-eta(5)-C5H4)(2)ZrCl2, [PhP(CH2CH2-eta(5)-C5H4)(2)ZrCl(H2O)]Cl and PhP(CH2CH2-eta(5)-C5H4)(2)Zr(NCS)(2)
The five-coordinate zirconocene dichloride PhP(CH2CH2-eta(5)-C5H4)(2) ZrCl2 (3), containing a tethered bis(cyclopentadienyl)-phosphine ligand, was prepared by treating a tetrahydrofuran solution of ZrCl4(thf)(2) with Li-2[PhP(CH2CH2C5H4)(2)]. An X-ray crystal structure analysis confirmed the phosphorus atom to be coordinated to the zirconium metal center. Dissolution of 3 in wet methanol followed by evaporation of the solvent yielded the crystallographically characterized cationic chloroaqua complex [PhP(CH2CH2-eta(5) C5H4)(2)ZrCl(H2O)](+) as the chloride salt (4). Treatment of an aqueous solution of 3 with excess thiocyanate gave a good yield of the bis(isothiocyanato) complex PhP(CH2CH2-eta(5)-C5H4)(2)Zr(NCS)(2) (7), the structure of which was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.