The synthesis,structure, and ethylene polymerization of dimeric salicylaldiminato titanium complexes

A series of dimeric titanium complexes bearing salicylaldiminates, [4-R-6-^tBu-2-(CH=NⁿBu)C₆H₂OTiCl₂(µ-Cl)]₂ [R?=?H (1); R?=?^tBu (2); R?=?NO₂ (3)], have been synthesized in high yield (>90%) by the reaction of corresponding 4-R-6-^tBu-2-(CH=NⁿBu)C₆H₂OSiMe₃ with TiCl₄. The molecular structure of 2 has been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. When activated with methylaluminoxane, these complexes exhibit good catalytic activity for ethylene polymerization.