The literature for 1989-90, has been covered though much of the organometallic chemistry of these elements in particular is not reviewed here. Particular trends discernible are the intense activity in the field of alkoxides and increased success in the chemistry of the lower oxidation states of zirconium in particular.
Halides and their ComplexesThe halide ZrI, has a chain structure' involving infinite chains of confacial ZrI, octahedra, distorted because of Zr-Zr pairing (Zr-Zr = 3.17,3.50 A). The reduction of TiBr, by Ti and A1 is reported' to afford respectively a-TiBr, and Ti(A1Br4)*; structures are reported for them and for HfF,., ZrC1, reacts4 with N204 to give Zr( NO3),. Structures are reported' foi a whole range of zirconium chloride cluster phases stabilized by interstitial atoms (H, B, C, Be, Fe) which can form derivatives with suitable Lewis bases. Structures like that of (Zr,Cl,,Be)( EtNH,), (Figure 1) are related to that of the well established NbgC112~+ systems.New complexes of trivalent zirconium and hafnium are M2C16 ( Pri2PCH2CH2PPri2), (M = Zr, Hf) and Hf,CI,( PMe'Ph), (Figure 2) prepared by reduction of the tetrachlorides in the presence of the ligand., They are diamagnetic, with a single metal-metal bond (around 3.09 A).ZrC1, (pinacolone) ,7 HfCl,(THF), ,8 CrCl,( MeCN), ,9 and TiC1,(Me3C.NC), l o are all cis-in the solid state. Among a range of titanium complex species character-