On the Quest for New Mixed-Metal [mu]-Oxo-bridged Complexes: Synthesis of Compounds Containing Transition Metal-Oxygen-Main Group Metal Motifs M-O-M super(1) (M = Ti, Zr; M super(1) = Al, Ga) without Cyclopentadienyl Ligands

The reaction of TiBz sub(4) (Bz = benzyl) with LAIMe(OH), L = (2,6- iPr sub(2)C sub(6)H sub(3)NC(Me)) sub(2)CH, afforded LAIMe([mu]-O)TiBz sub(3) (1) and [LAIMe([mu]-O)] sub(2)TiBz sub(2) (2), whereas the corresponding reaction with ZrBz sub(4) resulted only in the formation of the trinuclear species [LAIMe([mu]-O)] sub(2)ZrBz sub(2) (3). The reaction of (Mes sub(2)Ga(OH)) sub(2)[middot]THF (Mes = 2,4,6-Me sub(3)C sub(6)H sub(2)) with Ti(NEt sub(2)) sub(4) yielded the cluster compound TiGa sub(6)O sub(7)(NEt sub(2)) sub(2)(Mes) sub(6) (4). All compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Additionally, single crystal X-ray structure data of 1,3, and 4 are reported. Compounds 1-4 show low catalytic activities in the polymerization of ethylene. Revisiting known [mu]-oxo-bridged complexes containing the M-O-M super(1) (M = Ti, Zr, Hf; M super(1) = Al, Ga) skeleton revealed that the application of polynuclear group 13 hydroxides and oxo bridged complexes possesses a potential for the preparation of new polyoxometal clusters.