Synthesis of ansa-2,2′-bis[(4,7-dimethyl-inden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl and nsa-2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyltitanium and -zirconium dichlorides

2,2′-Bis[(4,7-dimethyl-inden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl and [2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium and -zirconium dichlorides have been synthesized from 2,2′-bis(bromomethyl)-1,1′-binaphthylene. 2,2′-Bis(bromomethyl)-1,1′-binaphthylene was alkylated with the lithium salt of 4,7-dimethylindene to yield 2,2′-bis[1-(4,7-dimethyl-indenylmethyl)]-1,1′-binaphthylene (S)-(−)-9. The lithium salt of 9 was metalated with either titanium trichloride followed by oxidation or zirconium tetrachloride to give titanocene dichloride (S)-(+)-10 and zirconocene dichloride 11. The known complexes ansa-[2,2′-bis[(1-indenyl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium and -zirconium dichlorides were formed and hydrogenated to ansa-[2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium and -zirconium dichlorides 12 and 14 or to ansa-[2,2′-bis[(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-1-yl)methyl]-5,5′,6,6′,7,7′,8,8′-octahydro-1,1′-binaphthyl]titanium dichloride 13 whose solid state structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 13 adopts a C₁-symmetrical conformation in the solid state, but is conformationally mobile in solution, exhibiting C₂-symmetry in its room temperature NMR spectra.