Charge-compensated Zn metallocenes with sigma-/pi-chelating carboranyl ligands for the formation of constrained geometry Ru(II) and Ni(II) complexes

Charge-compensated zinc metallocenes of types [(eta(3)-C2B9H10)(2)Zn]-[(eta(1)-NMe2)ZnEt](2) (5) and [{eta(3)-(Me)C2B9H9}(2)Zn][(eta(1)-NMe2)-ZnEt](2) (6) were produced by reacting sigma-/pi-chelating aminoalkyl dicarbollides, 7-Me2N(H)CH2-7,8-C2B9H11 (1) and 7-Me2N(H)CH2-8-Me-7,8-C2B9H10 (2), with diethylzinc. Zincocene 5 proved to be an excellent synthon for the formation of dicarbollide-based sigma-/pi-type constrained Ru and Ni complexes.