A Terminal and Four-Coordinate Titanium Alkylidene Prepared by Oxidatively Induced α-Hydrogen Abstraction

Abstract

One-electron oxidation of the beta-diketiminate titanium(III) bis-neopentyl complex (Nacnac)Ti(CH2tBu)2 (Nacnac = [Ar]NC(Me)CHC(Me)N[Ar], Ar = 2,6-(CHMe2)2C6H3) promotes alpha-abstraction to afford the rare and terminal four-coordinate neopentylidene (Nacnac)Ti=CHtBu(OTf), which was structurally characterized. Alkylidene (Nacnac)Ti=CHtBu(OTf) reacts cleanly with benzophenone and the imine functionality of the Nacnac ligand to afford the corresponding Wittig-type products.