Synthesis and reactivity of a zirconocene bis-(aminoborylphosphane)

The reaction of Cp2ZrCl2 with LiP(H)B(Ni-Pr-2)(2) center dot DME in a 1 : 2 ratio provides the metallodiphosphane Cp2Zr[P(H)B(Ni-Pr-2)(2)](2) (5). Combination of 5 with Mo(CO)(4)(norbornadiene) gives the diphosphane adduct Cp2Zr[P(H)B(Ni-Pr-2)(2)](2)Mo(CO)(4) (7) in which 5 acts as a bidentate chelating ligand. The reaction of 5 with n-BuLi in a 1 : 1 ratio generates a phosphane-phosphide "ate" complex Li{Cp2Zr[P(H)B(Ni-Pr-2)(2)][PB(Ni-Pr-2)(2)]} center dot DME (8). This unusual complex contains a planar, asymmetric ZrPLiP ring. The compounds have been characterized by spectroscopic methods and the molecular structures of 7 and 8 have been determined by X-ray diffraction methods.