Synthesis, structure and catalytic properties of new half-titanocene complexes bearing substituted cyclopentadienyl and aryloxide ligands

Abstract

New cyclopentadienyltitanium aryloxide complexes, 1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-Me4CpTi(O-2,6-iPr2-4-nBu-C6H2)Cl2 (1) and [4,4′-biphenyl-(2,3,4,5-Me4Cp)2][Ti(O-2,6-iPr2-4-nBu-C6H2)Cl2]2 (2), have been prepared by treatment of cyclopentadienyltitanium trichloride complexes [PhMe4CpTiCl3 and 4,4′-biphenyl-(Me4CpTiCl3)2] with 1 or 2 equiv of lithium salt of 2,6-di-isopropyl-4-butylphenol. Complexes 1 and 2 have been characterized by elemental analysis, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structure of 1 has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Upon activation with iBu3Al and Ph3CB(C6F5)4, 1 and 2 both exhibit good catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization, producing polyethylene with moderate molecular weight and melting point.