The mechanism of η(η5:η5-fulvalene)-di-μ-chloro-bis (η5-cyclopentadienyltitanium) formation in the system Cp2TiCl2 : LiAlH4 : Olefinic solvent

Summary The reduction of Cp₂TiCl₂ with LiAlH₄ in olefinic solvents at temperatures above 100° leads to the formation of µ-( ⁵ : ⁵-fulvalene)-di-µ-chloro-bis( ⁵-cyclopentadienyl-titanium) (1) and finally to µ-( ⁵ : ¹⁵-fulvalene)-di-µ-hydrido-bis ( ⁵-cyclopentadienyltitanium). The first step of the reduction includes mainly the formation of the dimer of bis( ⁵-cyclopentadienyl)titanium(III) chloride, (Cp₂TiCl)₂. The mechanism of its conversion into (1) involves the formation of an intermediate bis( ⁵-cyclopentadienyl)titanium(III) hydride species which reacts immediately with the olefinic solvent to give bis( ⁵-cyclopentadienyl)alkyltitanium(III) compounds. The formation of the fulvalene ligand in (1) is explained by the interaction of the alkyltitanium compound with the cyclopentadienyl ligands of (Cp₂TiCl)₂ resulting in hydrogen transfer to the olefinic solvent.