Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic properties of bis[alkylindenyl]-, bis[alkenylindenyl]- and [alkenylindenyl(cyclopentadienyl)]zirconium dichloride complexes

4,7-Dimethylindenyl lithium or 2,4,7-trimethylindenyl lithium reacts with 1 -bromobutane, 1-chloro-2-propene, or 1-bromo-3-methyl-2-butene to give 3-bu tyl-4,7-dimethyl-1H-indene (1), 3-(2-propene-1-yl)-2,4,7-trimethyl-1H-inden e (2), or 3-(3-methyl-2-butene-1-yl)-2,4,7-trimethyl-1H-indene (3), respect ively. Deprotonation of 1-3 with n-butyl lithium yields the lithium salts 1 a-3a. The reactions of 1a-3a and of [1-(4-pentene-1-yl)indenyl]lithium (4a) with zirconiumtetrachloride produce the complexes bis[1-butyl-4,7-dimethyl indenyl]- (1b), bis[1-(2-propene-1-yl)-2,4,7-trimethyl-indenyl]- (2b), bis[ 1-(3-methyl-2-butene-1-yl)-2,4,7-trimethylindenyl]- (3b) or bis[1-(4-penten e-1-yl)indenyl]zirconium dichloride (4b). The reaction of cyclopentadienylz irconium. trichloride with [2-(3-butene-1-yl)-4,7-dimethylindenyl]lithium o r [2-(4-pentene-1-yl)-4,7-dimethylindenyl]lithium affords the mixed complex es (2-(3-butene-1-yl)-4,7-dimethylindenyl(cyclopentadienyl)]zirconium dichl oride (5c) or [2-(4-pentene-1-yl)-4,7-dimethylindenyl(cyclopentadienyl)]zir conium dichloride (6c). All new compounds were characterized by elemental a nalysis, H-1- and C-13{H-1}-NMR spectroscopy as well as by mass spectrometr y. In addition, single-crystal X-ray structural analysis was done for 3b. T he complexes 1b-4b, 5c, and 6c were tested as catalysts for the homopolymer ization and copolymerization of ethene and propene and the results were com pared to those of analogous compounds. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.