Enantioselective methylalumination of α-olefins

The ability of various enantiopure zirconocenes to catalyze the asymmetric methylalumination of allylbenzene has been tested. The enantioselectivity of an ethylene(Ind)2ZrCl2/MAO system is the same as that of authentic methyl cation generated with Ph3C+ from ethylene(Ind)2ZrMe2, confirming that the methyl cation is the active catalyst from ethylene(Ind)2ZrCl2/MAO.