Cyano Derivatives of Bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV). The crystal and molecular structure of μ-Oxo-bis[bis(cyclopentadienyl)cyanotitanium(IV)], [(η5-C5H5)2TiCN]2O

By the reaction of KCN with Cp₂TiCl₂ (Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅) in boiling methanol, bis(cyclopentadienyl)-methoxytitanium(IV) cyanide, Cp₂Ti(OCH₃)CN, is formed which in air is converted into the dinuclear oxygen-bridged derivative (Cp₂TiCN)₂O. By the same procedure, the bis(methylcyclopentadienyl) analogue [MeCp₂TiCN]₂O has been obtained. An X-ray diffraction study of (Cp₂TiCN)₂O has shown that the CN group acts as a unidentate ligand with a Ti? C bond length of 2.158 Å and a Ti? C? N bond angle of 177.7°, very close to linearity. The Ti? O bond distance, 1.836 Å, and the bond angle at the bridging O atom, 174.1°, are normal. The ligands are arranged in a nearly tetrahedral way around the Ti atoms. The structural results are compared to those for similar dinuclear titanium complexes.