Quinolyl-functionalised Cp–chromium polymerisation catalysts: synthesis and crystal structures of alkylation products

The quinolyl-functionalised Cp–chromium(III) complexes 1 and 2, which serve as precursors for highly active olefin polymerisation catalysts, were alkylated with benzylmagnesium chloride. From these reactions, the new metal complexes 4, 5 and 6 were obtained and structurally characterised. The expected alkylchromium compound 4 is formed together with complex 5, where the nucleophile replaced a hydrogen atom at the quinoline substituent. The dinuclear complex 6 is formed by nucleophile addition, rearrangement and dimerisation.