Organozirconium chemistry is the science of exploring the properties, structure, and reactivity of organozirconium compounds, which are organometallic compounds containing chemical bonds between carbon and zirconium.[2] Organozirconium compounds have been widely studied, in part because they are useful catalysts in Ziegler-Natta polymerization.
Many organozirconium compounds have analogues on organotitanium chemistry. Zirconium(IV) is more resistant to reduction than titanium(IV) compounds, which often convert to Ti(III) derivatives. By the same token, Zr(II) is a particularly powerful reducing agent, forming robust dinitrogen complexes. Being a larger atom, zirconium forms complexes with higher coordination numbers, e.g. polymeric [CpZrCl3]n vs monomeric CpTiCl3 (Cp = C5H5).
Extensive chemistry has also been demonstrated from decamethylzirconocene dichloride, Cp*2ZrCl2. Well-studied derivatives include Cp*2ZrH2, [Cp*2Zr]2(N2)3, Cp*2Zr(CO)2, and Cp*2Zr(CH3)2.
Zirconocene dichloride can be used to cyclise enynes and dienes to give cyclic or bicyclic aliphatic systems.[14][15]
The simplest organozirconium compounds are the homoleptic alkyls. Salts of [Zr(CH3)6]2- are known. Tetrabenzylzirconium is a precursor to many catalysts for olefin polymerization. It can be converted to mixed alkyl, alkoxy, and halide derivatives, Zr(CH2C6H5)3X (X = CH3, OC2H5, Cl).
In addition to mixed Cp2Zr(CO)2, zirconium forms the binary carbonyl [Zr(CO)6]2-.[18]
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