Reactions of bis(η5-cyclopentadienyl)titanium(III) compounds with isocyanides

Reactions of Cp2TiR (R = Cl, C6F5, C6H5, o-CH3C6H4) with R´NC (R´ = o-CH3C6H4, 2,6-(CH3)2C6H3) give two types of products: terminally coordinated adducts, Cp2TiR • CNR´, and insertion products, Cp2TiC(R)=NR´, i.e. iminoacyl derivatives. Insertion of the isocyanide group into the Ti—R bond was followed by IR spectroscopy for Cp2Ti-o-CH3C6H4 • 2,6-(CH3)2C6H3NC. The iminoacyl compounds are readily oxidized by X2 (X = I, SC6H5) to give Cp2Ti(X)C(R)=NR´. The C=N group in the latter compound is η2-coordinated to titanium