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Tetrabenzylzirconium is an
organozirconium compound
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. Organozirconium compounds have ...
with the formula Zr(CH2C6H5)4. The molecule features diamagnetic Zr(IV) bonded to four benzyl ligands. It is an orange air- and photo-sensitive solid, which is soluble in hydrocarbon solvents. The compound is a precursor to catalysts for the polymerization of olefins.
Structure, synthesis, reactions
X-ray crystallography
X-ray crystallography is the experimental science determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles ...
demonstrates that the benzyl ligands are highly flexible: one polymorph features four η2-ligands, whereas another has two η1- and two η2-benzyl ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule (functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's electr ...
s.
The compound is prepared by combining benzylmagnesium chloride and zirconium tetrachloride
Zirconium(IV) chloride, also known as zirconium tetrachloride, () is an inorganic compound frequently used as a precursor to other compounds of zirconium. This white high-melting solid hydrolyzes rapidly in humid air.
Structure
Unlike molecular T ...
in diethyl ether.
Tetrabenzylzirconium readily undergoes protonolysis, e.g. with hydrogen chloride
The compound hydrogen chloride has the chemical formula and as such is a hydrogen halide. At room temperature, it is a colourless gas, which forms white fumes of hydrochloric acid upon contact with atmospheric water vapor. Hydrogen chloride ga ...
:
:Zr(CH2C6H5)4 + HCl → Zr(CH2C6H5)3Cl + CH3C6H5
See also
*Tetrabenzyltitanium (RN = 17520-19-3){{cite journal , doi=10.1039/C29710001511, title=The Crystal and Molecular Structures (At –40 °C) of the Tetrabenzyls of Titanium, Hafnium, and Tin, year=1971, last1=Davies, first1=Gwyneth R., last2=Jarvis, first2=J. A. J., last3=Kilbourn, first3=B. T., journal=J. Chem. Soc. D, issue=23, pages=1511–1512References