Abstract: A Process is disclosed comprising reacting an alkali metal salt of Z with MX.sub.4 to form a trihalo compound; reacting the trihalo compound with an alkali metal salt of Z' to form a dihalo compound; and reacting the dihalo compound with at least one alkali metal organic compound to form Z-MR.sub.2 -Z', where Z is a substituted or unsubstituted fluorenyl radical, M is Ge, Si, or Sn, X is Cl, Br, F, or I, each R is a hydrocarbyl radical containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and Z' is an unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl, substituted cyclopentadienyl, unsubstituted indenyl, substituted indenyl, unsubstituted fluorenyl, or a substituted fluorenyl. Also new fluorene compounds are disclosed.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for preparing compounds of the formula Z--R--Z where each Z can be selected from cyclopentadienyl type radicals such as substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, fluorenyl or tetrahydroindenyl or where one Z is Cl, Br, or I by reacting specific Z precursors with a dihaloalkylene compound. Also new cyclopentadienyl-type compounds are disclosed.