Synthesis and structures of bimetallic silicon-containing imido alkylidene complexes of molybdenum Me2Si[CHMo(NAr)(ORF3)2]2 and PhVinSi[CHMo(NAr)(ORF3)2]2

Bimetallic alkylidene complexes of molybdenum (RF3O)2(ArN)MoCH–SiMe2–CHMo(NAr)(ORF3)2 (1) and (RF3O)2(ArN)MoCH–SiPhVin–CHMo(NAr)(ORF3)2 (2) (Ar = 2,6- Pr 2 i C6H3; RF3 = CMe2CF3) have been prepared by the reactions of vinyl silicon reagents Me2Si(CHCH2)2 and PhSi(CHCH2)3 with known alkylidene compound PhMe2C–CHMo(NAr)(ORF3)2. Complexes 1 and 2 were structurally characterized. Ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of cyclooctene using compounds 1 and 2 as initiators led to the formation of high molecular weight polyoctenamers with predominant trans-units content in the case of 1 and predominant cis-units content in the case of 2.