The reaction of penta-
and benzofulvene complexes of group 4 (M
= Ti, Zr) with different phosphorus ylides is reported. Employing
the bis(η5:η1-pentafulvene)titanium
complexes Ti1a and Ti1b, the reactions with
the corresponding phosphorus ylides Y1–5 result in a spontaneous single C–H bond activation and metallocene
ylide complexes Ti2a–e can be isolated
in good yields. On the basis of these results, this reactivity pattern
has been extended to the mono(η5:η1-pentafulvene) and -benzofulvene complexes Ti3, Zr1a,b, and Zr1a,b-benzo. Transferring this to the titanium complex Ti3, an additional equilibrium between the reaction product (η5-C5Me5)(η5-CpAd)Ti(Cl)CHPPh3 (Ti4a)
and the corresponding “tuck-in” complex (η5:η1-C5Me4CH2)(η5-CpAd)TiCl (Ti4b) can be observed. In Ti4b, a methyl group
of the Cp*-ligand is activated by the coordinated phosphorus ylide.
Using this intramolecular C–H activation, Ti4b can be synthesized by catalytic amounts (3 mol %) of the phosphorus
ylide Y1 in quantitative yield. Subsequently, the reaction
of Ti4b with different carbonyl and nitrile compounds
has been investigated. In both cases, an insertion of the functional
group into the newly formed Ti–CH2 bond is observed,
and the insertion products Ti5–9 are isolated in good yields. Using
a sterically demanding nitrile, the titanium-imine complex Ti7 is isolated. Upon heating of Ti7, a thermally induced
subsequent nonreversible 1,3-H-shift can be observed, forming the
titanium-enamine complex Ti7a. With reduced steric demand
of the appropriate nitrile, this shift directly takes place even under
mild reaction conditions with no observation of the titanium-imine
species. By utilization of acetonitrile as substrate, a dimeric titanium-imine-enamine
complex Ti10 is formed, due to an occurring subsequent
C–C bond formation reaction.