Preparation, characterization and carbonylation of the ring-functionalized dibenzyl zirconocenes, (η5-C5H5)x((η5-C5H4)P(C6H5)2)2-xZr(CH2C6H5)2 ( x = 1, (1); x = 0, (2) )

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(96)06226-2

The preparation, characterization and carbonylation products of the ring-functionalized alkyl zirconocenes, (η⁵C₅H₅)(η⁵-C₅H₄-P(C₆H₅)₂)Zr(CH₂C₆H₅)₂ (1), (η⁵-C₅H₄-P(C₆H₅)₂)₂Zr(CH₂C₆H₅)₂ (2) are described. These compounds insert one molecule of CO to give products which interconvert between an acyl form and a phosphonium-alkoxide form at ambient temperatures via a reversible nucleophilic attack of the phosphine at the carbenium-like η²-acyl carbon as shown through variable-temperature ¹H and ³¹P{¹H} NMR studies.