Zirconium-catalyzed preparation of aluminacyclopentanes and synthesis of five-membered carbo- and heterocycles

Novel ‘one-pot’ catalytic methods for the synthesis of cyclopentanols, tetrahydrothiophenes, silacyclopentanes and phospholanes are based on successive transformations of olefins and organoaluminium compounds (R2AlR′) in the presence of Cp2ZrCl2 catalyst. In situ generated aluminacyclopentanes serve as common intermediates in these processes.