The diarylsilyl biscyclopentadienyl ligands described above as an embodiment of the present invention are useful for in the synthesis of metallocenes, which in turn are useful as part of a metallocene catalyst system for the polymerization of olefins to form such polymers as propylene homopolymer, copolymers of propylene, ethylene, and other alpha-olefins, and such polymers as impact copolymers.