CH Bond Activation in Cations of the Type {[(2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂NCH₂CH₂)₂NMe]ZrR}⁺ and a Simple Solution that Yields a Catalyst for the Living Polymerization of 1-Hexene

{[(MesNCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 NMe]ZrMe}[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] and intermediates in the polymerization reaction of 1-hexene that are formed from it decompose as a consequence of CH activation in an ortho methyl group in the mesityl substituent. The intermediates in the polymerization reaction decompose significantly more readily than does {[(MesNCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 NMe]ZrMe}[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ]. On the other hand, analogous cationic complexes that contain the [(2,6-Cl 2 C 6 H 3 NCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 NMe] 2 - ligand are relatively stable and will consume 1-hexene in a strictly first-order and apparently living manner at 0 °C in chlorobenzene.