Fast and reversible insertion of carbon dioxide into zirconocene-alkoxide bonds. A mechanistic study
In two consecutive equilibria the compound (Cp*)(2)Zr(OMe)(2) undergoes insertion of CO2 to form the mono- and bis-hemicarbonates. Both equilibria are exothermic but entropically disfavoured. Magnetisation transfer experiments gave kinetic data for the first equilibrium showing that the rate of insertion is overall second order with a rate constant of 3.20 +/- 0.12 M-1 s(-1), which is substantiall