The bulkily substituted zirconocene dichloride complexes of the type RCpCp^oZrCl₂ [Cp^o＝2-MeOArCR¹R²Cp, R¹, R²＝CH₃, C₂H₅, (CH₂)₅, etc.] have been synthesized by the reaction of 6, 6-dialkylfulvene with 2-MeOArLi followed by treatment with RCpZrCl₃•DME (R＝H, Me, i-Pr), and all the complexes were characterised by ¹H NMR, IR, MS and elemental analysis. A new type of intramolecular elimination reaction was found and anisole was eliminated from the complexes with formation of alkenyl-substituted zirconocene.

Key words: syntheses, zirconocene dichloride, intramolecular elimination