Macrocyclic hexanuclear zirconium(IV) complex bearing a bisaryloxyl N-heterocyclic-carbene ligand: Synthesis, structure, and catalytic properties

A rare macrocyclic hexazirconium(IV) complex with bisaryloxyl N-heterocyclic carbene ligand {(L)Zr(OSiMe3)(k2-[N^O])}6 (2) (image H[N^O]=image) was prepared from a mononuclear complex [(L)ZrCl2(THF)] (1). Complex 2 was structurally characterized and shows higher catalytic ethylene polymerization activities in the presence of methylaluminoxane (MAO).