INSERTION OF PHENYL AZIDE AND DIPHENYLDIAZOMETHANE INTO BIS(CYCLOPENTADIENYL)ZIRCONACYCLOPENTANES - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF AN 18-ELECTRON ALKYL ZIRCONOCENE TRIAZENIDO COMPLEX

The terminal nitrogen atoms of phenyl azide and diphenyldiazomethane insert into one of the carbon-zirconium bonds of zirconacyclopentanes to give novel 18 electron azazirconacycles that are very stable towards hydrolysis. An X-ray diffraction study has been carried out on the triazenido alkyl zirconocene complex 5. Hydrogenolysis of the diphenyldiazomethane inserted zirconacycle gives a primary amine, the first example of the direct formation of amines from organozirconium compounds.