Synthesis and catalytic activity of binuclear titanium imido complexes

Treatment of the N-P ligand ArPN(SiMe3)2 with TiCl4 affords the imido-bridged binuclear titanium complex [TiCl2(THF)(micro-NArP)]2 (ArP = m-C6H4PR2) which reacts with Ni(0) or Pd(ii) to give heterotrinuclear compounds, while activation with methylaluminoxane generates a new type of imido-based ethene polymerisation catalyst that is tolerant of -PR2 functional groups.