A pyridine dialkoxide titanium dichloride complex. Synthesis and molecular structure of 2,6-bis(2,2-diphenyl-2-trimethylsilyloxy- ethyl)pyridine

Abstract

Reaction of 2,6-dimethylpyridine with 2 equivalents of LiBuⁿ followed by addition of 2 equivalents of benzophenone and the consecutive reaction with 2 equivalents of SiMe₃Cl afforded the doubly functionalised 2,6-bis(2,2-diphenyl-2-trimethylsilyloxyethyl)pyridine L. The structure of L has been determined by an X-ray diffraction study. Reaction of either a doubly lithiated intermediate or the corresponding silylated ligand L with TiCl₄ afforded a pyridine dialkoxide titanium dichloride complex. A cationic α-olefin polymerization catalyst was generated from this complex with an excess of methylaluminoxane (MeAlO)_n. A comparison of the catalytic activity with those of similar bis(alkoxide) complexes is presented.