Amide functionalized cyclopentadienyl complexes

The work in this thesis is concerned with the synthesis of amide functionalized cyclopentadienyl ligands and their complexation with Group 4 metals. The synthesis of the ligands C(_5)H(_5)(CH(_2))(_3)N(H)R' (R' = C(_6)H(_11), CH(_2)C(_6)H(_5), CH(CH(_3))C(_6)H(_5)) was investigated and for the ligands C(_5)H(_5)(CH(_5))(_3)N(H)C(_6)H(_11) and C(_5)H(_5)(CH(_2))(_3)N(H)CH(_2)C(_6)H(_5) coordination to a zirconium centre was achieved via homoleptic amide reactions to yield the metal complexes Zr[Ƞ(^5):Ƞ(^1)-C(_5)H(_4)(CH(_2))(_3)NR'](NMe(_2)2) (R' = C(_6)H(_11), CH(_2)C(_6)H(_5)). Preparation of the chiral ligand 2-pyrrolidine methylene cyclopentadiene, C(_5)H(_5)CH(_2)(C(_4)H(_7))NH, was also attempted. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the history, types and applications of functionalized cyclopentadienyl complexes, including a detailed discussion of amide functionalized cyclopentadienyl complexes. Chapter 2 provides a general discussion of the preparation of trimethylene-bridged amide functionalized cyclopentadienyl complexes and describes the results obtained in this work. Chapter 3 describes the experimental procedures utilized in this work.