The involvement of titanocene and related species in the reduction of dinitrogen and olefins

Abstract

Four sequential products have been spectrally detected in the reduction by sodium of dicyclopenta-dienyltitanium(IV) dichloride: [(π-Cp)₂TiCl]₂, [(π-Cp)₂Ti]_1–2, [(π-Cp)(C₅H₄)TiH]_x, and (π-Cp)(C₅H₄)TiH₂Ti(C₅H₄)(π-Cp)(“stable titanocene”); the second of these reacts rapidly and reversibly with N₂ to give a dark blue complex reducible to ammonia and appears to catalyse the cyclopentadienyltitanium-promoted rapid, room temperature-atmospeheric pressure hydrogenation of olefins.