Synthesis and characterisation of trifluoro(η5-n-propyltetramethylcyclopentadienyl) metal(IV)-compounds of the elements of group IV

A series of trifluoro metal complexes of titanium, zirconium and hafnium containing the n-propyltetramethylcyclopentadienyl ligand (C5Me4 nPr) have been synthesised by metathesis reactions of the trichloro analogue using three equivalents of Me3SnF. X-ray analysis of (C5Me4 nPr)TiF3 1 confirms the presence of two (C5Me4 nPr)TiF3 moieties with two fluorine atoms bridging the metal atoms resulting in a centre of symmetry. The starting materials (C5Me4 nPr)MCl3 (M = Zr, Hf) were prepared by reaction of (C5Me4 nPr)Li with MCl4 (M = Zr, Hf).