Research News, Nov. 30th, 2012

Published on 2012-11-30

Reactivity of Seven-membered Azazirconacycloallenes and Four-membered Zirconacycles towards Diphenylacetonitrile

Jing Zhao, Shaoguang Zhang, Wen-Xiong Zhang* and Zhenfeng Xi*

Organometallics 2012, DOI: 10.1021/om300949a

The reaction of seven-membered azazirconacycloallene with Ph2CHCN is achieved to yield the zirconocene complex with three fused rings and a keteniminate ligand. Further reactivity towards propargyl bromide or propionyl chloride shows that the keteniminate ligand can be substituted by halogen atoms (Br or Cl). In addition, the reaction of the strained four-membered zirconacycle with Ph2CHCN gives zirconocenes possessing vinyl-imine and keteniminate species.