A Fulvene Route to Group 4 Metallocene Complexes Bearing 4,7‐Bis(dimethylamino)‐Substituted Indenyl Ligands

N , N , N′ , N′ ‐Tetramethylsuccinamide ( 15 ) was selectively converted into the functionalized aminofulvene 16 . Subsequent treatment with reagent 17 , [ZrCl 2 (NMe 2 ) 2 (L) 2 ] (L = THF or 0.5 DME), resulted in the formation of the cyclization product 4,7‐bis(dimethylamino)indene ( 21 ). Deprotonation with n ‐butyllithium, followed by the reaction of the resulting substituted indenyllithium reagent 22 with ZrCl 4 , gave the metallocene [4,7‐bis(dimethylamino)indenyl] 2 ZrCl 2 ( 23 ). The reaction of 22 with ZrCl 3 Cp furnished the complex [4,7‐bis(dimethylamino)indenyl]CpZrCl 2 ( 24 ). Fulvene 16 , as well as the metallocene dichlorides 23 and 24 , were characterized by X‐ray diffraction. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)