Ambient-Temperature Carbon–Oxygen Bond Cleavage of an α‑Aryloxy Ketone with Cp₂Ti(BTMSA) and Selective Protonolysis of the Resulting Ti–OR Bonds

Reaction of Cp2Ti­[η2-(CSiMe3)2] with an α-aryloxy ketone produces a Ti­(IV) enolate aryloxide complex. Selective protonolysis of the enolate ligand or both Ti–OR bonds can be achieved with various acids. The reaction of the enolate aryloxide with 1-phenyl-2-phenoxyethanol is catalyzed by a mixture of NEt3 and [HNEt3]­X (X = OTf, BPh4).