Aminosilane as a coupling agent for cyclopentadienyl ligands on silica

Aminosilane has been used as a coupling agent for cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligands on silica surfaces. First the silica surface was functionalized with aminopropyldimethylethoxysilane (APDMES) by using saturated gas-solid reactions. Secondly two different (tetramethylcyclopentadienyl)chlorosilan Me2Si(C5Me4H)Cl and MeHSi(C5Me4H)Cl, were immobilised on the APDMES-functionalized silica by utilising n-BuLi (n-butyllithium). The amine groups react with n-BuLi by producing lithiated amine groups. Furthermore, the lithiated amine reacts with chloride of the silane and a chemical bond between nitrogen and silicon of the silane is formed. These stepwise prepared surfaces were characterised with H-1-,C-13- and Si-29- solid state NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.