Polymerisation of ethylene and propene using new chiral zirconium derivatives. Crystal structure of [ZrL1Cl2][H2L1=(4S,5S)-trans-4,5-bis(1H-inden-1-ylmethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane]

The chiral indene derivative (4S,5S)-trans-4,5-bis(1H-inden-3-ylmethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane has been prepared and used to synthesise the bis(η-indenyl) derivatives [ML1Cl2][M = Ti, Zr or Hf; H2L1=(4S,5S)-trans-4,5-bis(1H-inden-1-ylmethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane]. The crystal structure of the zirconium compound has been determined. Hydrogenation of the compounds [ML1Cl2] gives the corresponding bis(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-ylmethyl) derivatives [ML2Cl2]. The ability of the new metal compounds to catalyse the polymerisation of ethylene and propene has been examined. The compounds together with methylaluminoxane [(OAIMe)n] as cocatalyst are active for polymerisation of ethylene and, for M = Zr, for propene.