Facile synthesis of polymer-supported cyclopentadienes

A new route to polymer-supported cyclopentadienes using nickelocene as a source of cyclopentadiene is discussed. Nickelocene reacts directly with polymer-supported trityl chloride to yield the cyclopentadiene substituted analogue. With both Merrifieldʹs resin and a PEG based bromo-functionalised resin the cyclopentadiene substituted analogues are formed on reaction of the iodide form of the resin with nickelocene in the presence of triphenylphosphine.