C5Me5

C5Me5 refers to the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand, commonly abbreviated Cp*. It is the fully methylated derivative of the cyclopentadienyl ligand and is widely used in organometallic chemistry to stabilize metal centers and tune reactivity. In complexes, Cp* binds to metals in an η5 fashion and is typically considered a strong, bulky electron donor.

The Cp* ligand is derived from pentamethylcyclopentadiene, which is deprotonated to give the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl anion, Cp*−. The five methyl groups impart significant steric bulk and electron-donating character relative to the parent cyclopentadienyl ligand. These features enable Cp* to support low-coordinate and highly reactive metal centers and to influence catalytic properties.

In use, Cp* is introduced to a wide range of transition metals, including iron, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and manganese, among others. Cp* complexes are found in catalysis, hydrogenation, C–H activation, polymerization, and various transformations where a bulky, electron-rich ligand stabilizes reactive intermediates or enables unusual oxidation states. The ligand’s steric profile often suppresses side reactions and can promote selectivity.

Preparation typically involves forming pentamethylcyclopentadienyl derivatives by methylating cyclopentadiene to yield pentamethylcyclopentadiene, followed by deprotonation to produce Cp*−, which then coordinates to a metal precursor. Cp* chemistry has yielded a wide array of robust and well-characterized complexes used in both fundamental studies and practical catalysis.