Reactions of bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride with porous silica surface

Surface reactions between bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride (Cp2ZrC l2) and porous SiO2 surface were studied by preparing series of samples by saturated gas-solid reactions in an atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) reactor. Par tially dehydroxylated silica supports were obtained by preheating. Cp2ZrCl2 reacted mainly with the isolated OH groups. The availability of OH groups influenced the bonding mode of the zirconocene complex which was mainly sin gly bonded on silica preheated at 600 degreesC, while preheating at 350 deg reesC resulted in multiple bonding as revealed by NMR and elemental analyse s. There was no evidence for surface alkylation or chlorination. (C) 2001 E lsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.