Organozirconium compound

Organozirconium compounds are organometallic compounds containing a carbon to zirconium chemical bond. Organozirconium chemistry is the corresponding science exploring properties, structure and reactivity of these compounds. In general organozirconium compounds are stable and non-toxic. They are used in organic chemistry as an intermediate in the synthesis of chemical compounds and share characteristics with organotitanium compounds also a Group 4 element. Organozirconium compounds have been widely studied, in part because they are useful catalysts in Ziegler-Natta polymerization.

The first organozirconium compound discovered (1953) was zirconocene dibromide, belongs to the metallocene family. It was prepared in a reaction of the cyclopentadienyl magnesium bromide and zirconium(IV) chloride. Zirconocenes are used as polymerization catalysts such as Kaminsky catalysts, partly replacing organotitanium compounds.

The so-called Schwartz's reagent (1974) is a zirconocene hydrochloride and a reagent in hydrometalation reactions (called hydrozirconation) with some use in organic synthesis. Substrates for hydrozirconation are alkenes and alkynes. With terminal alkynes the terminal vinyl zirconium product is predominantly formed. Secondary reactions are nucleophilic additions, transmetalations,conjugate additions,coupling reactions, carbonylation and halogenation.

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