Abstract: Chiral metallocenes are prepared by reacting a salt of an asymmetric bis(cyclopentadienyl) moiety containing ligand with a chelate diamine adduct of a transition, lanthanide, or actinide metal halide in an organic solvent medium so as to produce said chiral metallocene.

Abstract: Bridged metallocene compounds are produced by a process of promising commercial utility for plant-sized operations. One of the key steps of the process involves converting a deprotonated silicon-, germanium- or tin-containing ligand into the metallocene. Preferably, and in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished to great advantage by adding a diamine adduct of a Group IV, V, or VI metal tetrahalide to a solution or slurry formed from a deprotonated silicon-, germanium- or tin-containing ligand and an organic liquid medium so as to form a metallocene. The overall process of the invention involves the direct conversion of benzoindanones to benzoindanols which, without isolation, are converted to benzoindenes. Thereupon the benzoindenes are bridged by deprotonating the benzoindenes with a strong base such as butyllithium and reacting the resultant deprotonated product with a suitable silicon-, germanium- or tin-containing bridging reactant such as dichlorodimethylsilane.

Abstract: An anhydrous mixture containing a liquid phase and a solids phase formed from components comprising finely-divided sodium fluoride, hexabromobenzene, and a phosphonium catalyst, and optionally a liquid aprotic solvent/diluent, is heated at a temperature and for a time at which sodium bromide and at least one hexahalobenzene containing at least two fluorine atoms are produced. Preferably, the sodium fluoride is activated by one or more of procedures specified herein.

Abstract: An essentially anhydrous agitated mixture of (i) finely-divided essentially anhydrous alkali metal fluoride (e.g., KF), (ii) haloaromatic compound having at least one halogen atom of atomic number greater than 9 on an aromatic ring (e.g., C.sub.6 Cl.sub.6), and (iii) an aminophosphonium catalyst (e.g., (Et.sub.2 N).sub.4 PBr), is heated at a temperature at which fluorine replaces one or more of the ring halogen atom of the haloaromatic compound.

Abstract: The reaction between a hafnium tetrahalide-diamine adduct and a metallated bis(cyclopentadienyl-moiety containing) ligand, offers great promise as a way of producing racemic hafnocenes, but involves a number of complications. Tetrahydrofuran, a commonly-used solvent/diluent for such reactions, when present in substantial portions in the liquid reaction medium containing the reactants and/or reaction product(s) has been found to cause a substantial reduction in yields of chiral hafnocenes. Apparently the presence of a substantial amount of THF causes or at least results in the formation of increased amounts of the undesirable meso isomer, tends to cause or result in tar formation, and results in a product having poor filterability. Thus large amounts of THF if fed to the reactor with the reactant(s) are purged to a suitably low level, replaced by a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon, and then the reaction mixture is heated to a higher reaction temperature.

Abstract: A continuous process for the hydrocarbylthiation of aromatic amines is disclosed. The process involves forming an admixture of aromatic amine, hydrocarbyl disulfide and an effective amount of a Lewis acid catalyst and subsequently allowing such admixture to flow as a thin film along a column. An inert gas is passed in a counter-current manner through the admixture.