Ambient-Temperature Carbon–Oxygen Bond Cleavage of an α-Aryloxy Ketone with Cp₂Ti(BTMSA) and Selective Protonolysis of the Resulting Ti–OR Bonds

Abstract

Reaction of Cp2Ti[η2-(CSiMe3)2] with an α-aryloxy ketone produces a Ti(IV) enolate aryloxide complex. Selective protonolysis of the enolate ligand or both Ti–OR bonds can be achieved with various acids. The reaction of the enolate aryloxide with 1-phenyl-2-phenoxyethanol is catalyzed by a mixture of NEt3 and [HNEt3]X (X = OTf, BPh4).