PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND CARBONYLATION OF THE RING-FUNCTIONALIZED DIBENZYL ZIRCONOCENES, H5)(X)((ETA(5)-C5H4)P(C6H5)(2))(2-X)ZR(CH2C6H5)(2) (X=1,(1) X=0,(2))

The preparation, characterization and carbonylation products of the ri ng-functionalized alkyl zirconocenes, (5)C(5)H(5))(eta(5)-C5H4-P(C6H5) (2))Zr(CH2C6H5)(2) (1), (eta(5)-C5H4-P(C6H5)(2))(2)Zr(CH2C6H5)(2) (2) are described. These compounds insert one molecule of CO to give produ cts 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 eta(2)-acyl carbon as shown throug h variable-temperature H-1 and P-31{H-1} NMR studies.