ZIRCONOCENE COMPLEXES OF UNSATURATED ORGANIC-MOLECULES - NEW VEHICLESFOR ORGANIC-SYNTHESIS

Transition metals are known to stabilize high-energy species and to ac tivate otherwise unreactive ones. The zirconocene unit stabilizes high ly strained alkynes and alkenes, allowing their use in selective carbo n-carbon bond-forming reactions. This unit also increases the reactivi ty of unactivated molecules, enabling them to participate in nontradit ional transformations. A general route has been developed that allows a wider variety of unsaturated fragments to participate in these react ions. The use of these zirconocene complexes in organic synthesis has led to the development of novel routes to a number of polyfunctionaliz ed organic molecules.