Generation of copper(I) complexes with a tethered olefin-phosphine ligand from CuCl-mediated reaction of alkenylzirconocene with R2PCl

alpha -Substitueed alkenylzirconocenes, Cp2Zr(OSiMe3){C(R) = C(R)CH2CH = CH 2} (R = Pr (1a); R = Ph (Ic)), which were prepared in situ by the reaction of zirconacyclopentenes with (allyloxy)trimethylsilane, reacted with R ' 2P Cl in the presence of CuCl to give the Cu(I) complexes [mu -Cl)Cu(PR ' C-2( R) = C(R)CH2CH = CH2)](2) (R = Pr, R ' = Ph (2a); R = Pr, R ' = i-Pr (2b); R = Ph. R ' = i-Pr (2c)) with tethered olefin-phosphine ligands bidentately coordinating to copper(I) in good to high yields. The molecular structures of 2a and 2c were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.