Electrophilic metal alkyl chemistry in new ligand environments

Cationic group 4 and actinide Cp{sub 2}MR{sup +} metallocenes, and isolobal neutral group 3 and lanthanide Cp{sub 2}MR analogs, are exceptionally reactive in insertion and {sigma}-bond metathesis processes, and have been exploited extensively in catalysis and synthesis, most notably single-site olefin polymerization. The objectives of recent work were to design new electrophilic metal alkyls based on non-Cp{sub 2}M structures, and to exploit these systems in fundamental and applied studies related to olefin polymerization and other catalytic reactions. Key results are reported in the following areas: discrete non-metallocene cationic group 4 alkyls, activation of non-metallocene compounds with methylalumoxane, and cationic aluminum alkyl compounds. Numerous structural formulas are included.