Zirconium Complex of an [OSSO]-Type Diphenolate Ligand Bearing trans-1,2-Cyclooctanediylbis(thio) Core: Synthesis, Structure, and Isospecific 1-Hexene Polymerization

Six-coordinated dibenzyl Zr complex bearing an [OSSO]-type tetradentate ligand was synthesized, and the structure was fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The zirconium complex has C 2 symmetry in solution. Owing to an effect of the cyclooctane ring structure, the combination of the zirconium complex and B(C6F5)3 or (Ph3C)[B(C6F5)4] as the activator exhibited high activity toward polymerization of 1-hexene to yield highly isotactic poly(1-hexene).