The organometallic chemistry of titanium and zirconium.

Abstract

The organometallic chemistry of titanium and zirconium has developed rapidly since the 1950's when the first compounds were prepared; namely, phenyltitanium triisopropoxide S1 and bis(cyclopentadienyl)— titanium dihalides S2. Work in this area has no doubt been encouraged by the activity of these metal derivatives in Ziegler—Natta catalysis and in nitrogen fixation.

By far the major part of this work deals with the cyclopentadienyl derivatives since the stability imparted by this unique ligand has allowed the isolation of numerous organotitanium and organozirconium compounds. The papers included in this submission cover firstly, new methods for preparing cyclopentadienyl derivatives (including those of titanium and zirconium), either from lower—valent halides or by employing magnesium cyclopentadienide in solution or in the molten state2 4 5. The last method allows the use of anhydrous metal fluorides as starting materials which no other method will allow. Two patents were filed covering the preparation and use of magnesium cyclopentadienides 6 7. The remainder of the papers describe the use of cyclopentadienyltitanium (and zirconium) halides as starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of new derivatives containing titanium and zirconium in oxidation states of 4,3 and 2.