Diastereomerically-Specific Zirconium Complexes of Chiral Salan Ligands:  Isospecific Polymerization of 1-Hexene and 4-Methyl-1-pentene and Cyclopolymerization of 1,5-Hexadiene

Chiral Salan ligands were found to wrap in a highly diastereoselective manner around zirconium leading to C 2-symmetric complexes of predetermined chirality at the metal. These complexes led to active polymerization of higher olefins, their activity and isospecific induction depending on the nature of the phenolate substituents.