Cationic ansa-(η5-Cyclopentadienyl)(η6-arene) Complexes of Titanium

The half-sandwich titanium trimethyl complex (η5-C5H4CMe2Ar)TiMe3 (Ar = 3,5-Me2C6H3) reacts with the Lewis acid B(C6F5)3 to give the ionic TiIV ansa-cyclopentadienyl-arene complex [(η5,η6-C5H4CMe2Ar)TiMe2][MeB(C6F5)3]. In bromobenzene solvent, addition of more B(C6F5)3 leads to C6F5/Me exchange and, subsequently, to formation of an unusual dimeric TiIII dicationic species, {[(η5,η6-C5H4CMe2Ar)Ti(μ-Br)]2}[B(C6F5)4]2, which was structurally characterized. Its formation involves reduction of the transition-metal center, solvent C–Br cleavage and perfluoroaryl-group scrambling.