Diamine Bis(phenolate) M(III) (Y, Ti) Complexes: Synthesis, Structures, and Reactivity

Reactions of titanium and yttrium trichlorides with 1 equiv of the sodium or potassium salts of the diamine bis(phenolate) H2 tBu2O2NN′ (Me2NCH2CH2-(CH2-2-HO-3,5-C6H2 tBu2)2) led to formation of [TiCl(tBu2O2NN′)(L)] (L = THF, 1; py, 2) and [YCl(tBu2O2NN′)(DME)], 3. Reactions of 1 or 3 with MCH2-(2-NMe2)C6H4 and with M[2-(CH2NMe2)C6H4] (M = Li, K) led to [Ti(tBu2O2NN′)(κ2-(CH2C6H4NMe2))], 5, [Y(tBu2O2NN′)(κ2-(CH2C6H4NMe2))], 6, and [Y(tBu2O2NN′)(κ2-(C6H4CH2NMe2))], 7. [Y(tBu2O2NN′)N(SiMe3)2], 4, was obtained from 3 and KN(SiMe3)2, whereas [(Y(tBu2O2NN′)(CH2SiMe3))2(μ4-O)(μ3-Li)2], 8, formed from reaction of 3 and LiCH2SiMe3. The reaction of 7 with 1 equiv of CH3CN gave [Y(tBu2O2NN′)(NC(CH3)C6H4CH2NMe2)], 10, which displays a chelating ketimide ligand formed by nitrile insertion in the Y−Ph bond. Further reaction with CH3CN led to [Y(tBu2O2NN′)(κ2-(N(H)C(CH3)C(H)C(C6H4CH2NMe2)N(H)], 9, the formation of which involves an imine−enamine tautomerism followed by a second nitrile insertion and 1,3-hydrogen shift. The reaction of 1 with CH3CN gave [TiCl(tBu2O2NN′)(NCCH3)], which upon heating converts to a new paramagnetic species that is likely a chloride-bridged Ti(III) dimer. The EPR study performed reveals that bis(phenolate) Ti(III) complexes do not promote nitrile coupling reactions by electron transfer. The solid state molecular structures of 1−9 revealed that in all the complexes the bis(phenolate) ligand is coordinated to the metal center by the two oxygen atoms and the two nitrogen atoms with trans phenolate arrangement.