title: Remarkable reactions and intermediates in titanocene(IV) chemistry: migratory insertion reactions of 2,2-disubstituted-1-alkenes, intramolecular 1,5-σ bond metathesis via ε-agostic interactions, and a rare example of a β-agostic alkyltitanocene complex.
abstract: The compound Cp(2)TiMe(2) reacts with [Ph(3)C][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] in CD(2)Cl(2) at 205 K to give, inter alia, [Cp(2)TiMe(CD(2)Cl(2))][B(C(6)F(5))(4)]. This solvent-separated ion pair reacts in turn with 2,4-dimethyl-1-pentene (DMP) to give a series of cationic species, the first being the alkene complex [Cp(2)TiMe(DMP)](+), which undergoes ready migratory insertion to form the σ-alkyl complex [Cp(2)Ti(CH(2)CMe(2)CH(2)CHMe(2))](+). The latter, which does not contain a β-hydrogen atom, rearranges rapidly via an unprecedented 1,5-σ bond metathesis reaction involving two isomeric ε-agostic species to give the σ-alkyl species [Cp(2)Ti(CH(2)CHMeCH(2)CMe(3))](+); this does contain a β-hydrogen atom and, in concurrent processes, eliminates H(2) or 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene (a major product) to form respectively the allylic complex [Cp(2)Ti{η(3)-(CH(2))(2)CCH(2)CMe(3)}](+) (a major product) or the hydride complex [Cp(2)TiH](+). The latter reacts reversibly with free DMP to give the insertion product [Cp(2)Ti(CH(2)CHMeCH(2)CHMe(2))](+) (V, a major product), in which the italicized hydrogen atom engages in a β-agostic interaction with the metal atom. Compound V is a rare example of both a β-agostic derivative of a group 4 metallocene and a β-agostic compound of any metal in which the (1)H resonance of the agostic hydrogen can be identified in the (1)H NMR spectrum (δ -3.43). Interestingly, a NOESY experiment on V indicates slow mutual exchange between the agostic hydrogen atom, the hydrogen atoms on C(1), and those of Me(2). These observations are consistent with the intermediacy of the allylic dihydrogen species [Cp(2)Ti(H(2)){η(3)-(CH(2))(2)CCH(2)CHMe(2)}](+), which loses H(2) to form [Cp(2)Ti{η(3)-(CH(2))(2)CCH(2)CHMe(2)}](+) (a minor product). Support for all steps of the proposed reaction scheme comes from product distributions, from labeling studies utilizing [Cp(2)Ti(CD(3))(CD(2)Cl(2))](+), and from extensive DFT calculations. The observed titanocene-based chemistry stands in stark contrast to that of the analogous zirconium system, in which the unusual but well-characterized cationic methyl alkene complex [Cp(2)ZrMe(DMP)](+) does not undergo migratory insertion and subsequent reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.
authors.forename: Francoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sauriol
authors.forename: Jessica F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sonnenberg
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chadder
authors.forename: Alexandre F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dunlop-Brière
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: Peter H M
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Budzelaar