Metal imido complexes (M=Ti, W) containing 2-(dimethylaminomethyl)pyrrole: Synthesis and the crystal structures of Bu^tN=TiClPy₂[2-Me₂NCH₂(C ₄H₃N)] and PhN=WCl₃[2-Me₂NCH₂(C₄H ₃N)]

A titanium imido complex, Bu^tN=TiClPy₂[2-Me₂NCH₂-(C ₄H₃N)] 1, was synthesized through metathesis by reacting Bu^tN=TiCl₂Py₃ with lithium 2-(dimethylaminomethyl) pyrrolate (LLi) in diethyl ether at room temperature. The dark brown red crystals were obtained from a concentrated diethyl ether solution of compound 1 at -20 °C and the monoclinic crystal shows a distorted octahedral structure with two pyridines taking trans positions. Hydrolysis Bu^tN=TiCl₂Py₃ with 2,2'-methylene-bis(6-t-butyl-4-methylphenol) (HO∼CH₂∼OH) generates a bis phenoxide titanium complex, (O∼CH₂∼O)TiCl₂Py 2, by eliminating one equivalent of Bu¹NH₂. Similarly, the reaction of LH with PhN=WCl₄(OEt₂) in diethyl ether at room temperature generates PhN=WCl₃(L) 3, in moderate yield. 3 has been characterized by NMR spectroscopies and X-ray crystallography.