Monoazadiene Complexes of Early Transition Metals. 2.1 Syntheses and Structures of Titanium 1-Aza-1,3-diene Complexes and Their Reactions with Ketones

Cp2Ti(II) Mediated Rearrangement of Cyclopropyl Imines

Ti-catalyzed oxidative alkyne carboamination with alkenes and azo compounds can yield either α,β-unsaturated imines or cyclopropyl imines through a common azatitanacyclohexene intermediate. Herein, we report the synthesis of a model azatitanacyclohexene complex (3) through the ring-opening of a cyclopropyl imine with Cp2Ti(BTMSA) (BTMSA = bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylene). 3 readily undergoes thermal or reductant-catalyzed ring contraction to an azatitanacyclopentene (4), analogous to the proposed mechanism for forming α,β-unsaturated imines in the catalytic reaction. A cyclopropyl imine or an α,β-unsaturated imine could be liberated via the oxidation of 3 or 4 with azobenzene, respectively, further implicating the role of these metallacycles in the Ti-catalyzed carboamination reaction.

Selective propargylic C(sp3)-H activation of methyl-substituted alkynes versus [2 + 2] cycloaddition at a titanium imido template

The reaction of the titanium imido complex 1b with 2-butyne leads to the formation of the titanium azadiene complex 2a at ambient temperature instead of yielding the archetypical [2 + 2] cycloaddition product (titanaazacyclobutene) which is usually obtained by combining titanium imido complexes and internal alkynes. The formation of 2a is presumably caused by an initial propargylic C(sp³)–H activation step and quantum chemical calculations suggest that the outcome of this unexpected reactivity is thermodynamically favored. The previously reported titanaazacyclobutene I (which is obtained by reacting 1b with 1-phenyl-1-propyne) undergoes a rearrangement reaction at elevated temperature to give the corresponding five-membered titanium azadiene complex 2b.

An unexpected reactivity between a titanium imido complex and internal alkynes was unveiled yielding titanaazacyclobutenes instead of the expected [2 + 2] cycloaddition products.

Crystal structure of the η4-ketimine titanium complex (di-phenyl-amido-κN){3-methyl-6-[(4-methyl-phen-yl)(phenyl-aza-nid-yl)methyl-idene]cyclo-hexa-2,4-dien-1-yl-κ2N,C1}(η5-penta-methyl-cyclo-penta-dien-yl)titanium(IV)

The mol-ecular structure of the title titanium(IV) half-sandwich complex, [Ti(η5-C10H15)(η4-C21H19N)(C12H10N)], shows a three-legged piano-stool geometry at the central TiIV atom, comprising of one penta-methyl-cyclo-penta-dienyl ligand, one bidentate ketimine ligand in an η4-coordination mode and one monodentate di-phenyl-amide ligand. Except for van der Waals forces, there are no significant inter-molecular inter-actions in the crystal.

Nucleophilic attack toward group 4 metal complexes bearing reactive 1-Aza-1,3-butadienyl and imido moieties

Unique (1-aza-2-butenyl)titanium complexes bearing a phosphonium ylide moiety [Ti=NTbt{C(Me)(PR3)CH=C(Me)N(Mes)}Cl] (3-5, Tbt = 2,4,6-tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]phenyl, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) were formed by the nucleophilic attack of PMe3, P(n-Bu)3, and 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane (dmpe) toward the corresponding (1-aza-1,3-butadienyl)titanium complex, [Ti=NTbt{C(Me)CHC(Me)N(Mes)}(mu-Cl)2Li(tmeda)] (2a). The reaction of a lithium beta-diketiminate, [Li{N(Tbt)C(Me)CHC(Me)N(Mes)}] (1) with [TiIICl2(dmpe)2] also resulted in the formation of the same complex 5. Density functional theory calculation indicated that the negative charge of the model molecule of 3 was slightly delocalized to the C3N plane. In addition, the calculation of the model molecule of 2a suggested the electrophilicity of 2a at the carbon atom connecting to the titanium atom. Interestingly, the reaction of zirconium and hafnium analogues (2b and 2c) with PMe3 and dmpe did not proceed. In contrast to the cases of phosphine reagents, pyridine which was found to undergo the nucleophilic attack toward the titanium center of 2a gave the pyridine-coordinated titanium-imide [Ti=NTbt{C(Me)CHC(Me)N(Mes)}Cl(py)] (7).

Rearrangements and stereomutations of metallacycles derived from allenes and imidozirconium complexes

The mechanisms of the rearrangements and stereoinversion of azametallacyclobutenes generated via [2+2] cycloaddition of allenes and imidozirconium complexes have been studied. Metallacycles derived from allenes bearing beta-hydrogen atoms racemize at room temperature by reversible beta-hydride elimination, a process which is also responsible for their eventual conversion to monoazadiene complexes. Metallacycles derived from diarylallenes racemize by reversible thermal bond homolysis at 95 degrees C; racemization of these metallacycles is also catalyzed by mild oxidants.