BPh as a Ligand in Cationic Zirconium Complexes: Novel Bonding Mode and Fluxionality

Abstract

Cationic zirconocene complexes containing BPh coordinated via the meta and para-carbons of one phenyl ring are isolable when the cyclopentadienyl ligands are of intermediate steric bulk. A novel fluxional process, involving phenyl “ring flipping”, has been observed in complexes like 1 with chiral ligands; such complexes catalyze isotactic polypropylene formation.