Guanylation of Amines Catalyzed by a Half-Sandwich Titanacarborane Amide Complex

Abstract

This work describes a new atom-economical catalytic process for the guanylation of amines with a broad substrate scope using the half-sandwich titanacarborane amide [σ:η1:η5-(OCH2)(Me2NCH2)(C2B9H9)]Ti(NMe2) as catalyst. This species bears two different sidearms: one is strongly bonded to the Ti center by taking the advantage of its high oxophilicity, whereas the other is hemilabile in nature, binding the Ti center reversibly.