Toluene and α-Olefins as Radical Scavengers: Direct NMR Evidence for Homolytic Chain Transfer Mechanism Leading to Benzyl and "Dormant" Titanium Allyl Complexes

Resting/dormant benzyl- and allyl-type Ti(IV) complexes formed under alpha-olefin polymerization conditions have been detected and characterized by NMR. Experimental and computational evidence supports a formation mechanism via reversible Ti-C bond homolysis rather than "classical" sigma-bond metathesis