List of Figures

Chapter 1
Figure 1. ORTEP diagram of Cp*Ta[=N(C6H3Me)2NSiMe3]Cl (4).	5
Figure 2. ORTEP diagram of Cp*Ta[=N(C6H3Me)2NSiMe3][h2-(2,6-Me2C6H3)N=CMe] (6).	9
Figure 3. ORTEP diagram of {Cp*Ta[MeN(C6H3Me)2NSiMe3]Me}+I- (7).	11
Figure 4. ORTEP diagram of Cp*Ta[PhSiH2N(C6H3Me)2NSiMe3](H)Me (9).	14
Figure 5. ORTEP diagram of Cp*Ta[PhSiH2N(C6H3Me)2NSiPhHCl](H)Cl (12).	16
Figure 6. Pseudo-first order plots for disappearance of 5 at different PhSiH3 concentrations.	21
Figure 7. Observed pseudo-first order rate constant for disappearance of 5 (kobs) as a function of the phenylsilane concentration.	22
Figure 8. Pseudo-first order rate constant for disappearance of 5 as a function of silacyclobutane concentration.	25
Figure 9. Plot of concentrations of 9, 11, and HSiMe3 vs. time for the elimination of HSiMe3 from 9. (Q = [11][HSiMe3]/[9]).	27
Figure 10. Eyring plot for the rate of decomposition of 9 at different temperatures.	29
Chapter 2
Figure 1. ORTEP diagram of [DADMB]YCl(THF)2 (2).	52
Figure 2. ORTEP diagram of [DADMB]Y(OSiMe3)(THF)2 (4).	53
Figure 3. ORTEP diagram of {[DADMB]YH(THF)}2.C6H6 (6).	58
Figure 4. ORTEP diagram of [DADMB]Y(NC5H6)(NC5H5)2.C5H12 (9).	62
Chapter 3
Figure 1. Temperature dependence of the chemical shift of the diastereotopic THF [[alpha]]-protons in 1.	84
Figure 2. Pseudo-first order plots for disappearance of 1 at different PhMeSiH2 concentrations (298 K, benzene-d6).	87
Figure 3. Pseudo-first order rate constant for disappearance of 1 as a function of phenylmethylsilane concentration (298 K, benzene-d6).	88
Figure 4. Pseudo-first order plots for consumption of PhMeSiH2 at different concentrations of 1 and 1-hexene (298 K, benzene-d6).	89
Figure 5. Observed pseudo-first order rate constant for PhMeSiH2 consumption as a function of the 1-hexene concentration, at constant catalyst precursor concentration (298 K, benzene-d6).	90
Figure 6. Observed pseudo-first order rate constant for PhMeSiH2 consumption as a function of the catalyst precursor concentration, at constant initial 1-hexene concentration (298 K, benzene-d6).	91
Figure 7. Pseudo-first order plots for consumption of PhMeSiH2 at different concentrations of 1 (298 K, THF-d8).	93
Figure 8. Observed rate constant for consumption of PhMeSiH2 (initial rate) as a function of the initial concentration of 1 (298 K, THF-d8).	94
Chapter 4
Figure 1. ORTEP diagram of {[DADMB]ZrCl2}2 (3).	108
Figure 2. ORTEP diagram of [DMBN]Zr(CH2Ph)[h6-PhCH2B(C6F5)3] (7).	113