Chemistry Supported by Preorganized Binucleating Ligands: Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Dititanium(III) μ-Methyl μ-Hydrido Species

Binucleating bis(amidinate) ligands based on
a 9,9-dimethylxanthene backbone have been used to
prepare new dititanium(IV) complexes of the general
formula [bis(amidinate)]Ti2Cp2R4 (R = CH3, 13CH3,
CD3). Reaction of these methyl derivatives with H2
affords the dititanium(III) μ-methyl μ-hydrido derivatives [bis(amidinate)]Ti2Cp2(μ-R)(μ-H) (R = CH3, 13CH3,
CD3), which have been characterized by single-crystal
X-ray diffraction and NMR and IR spectroscopy. These
complexes are rare examples of first-row-transition-metal
alkyl hydrido species.