A R T I C L E S
Kissounko et al.
1
product 6 as yellow crystals (0.219 g, 52.5%). H NMR (300 MHz,
benzene-d6): δ 1.11 (d, 18 H, J ) 7.2 Hz, CHMe2), 1.87 (s, 15 H,
C5Me5), 4.27 (sept, 3 H, J ) 7.2 Hz, CHMe2), 5.18 (br s, 3 H, NH).
13C{1H} NMR (75 MHz, benzene-d6): δ 11.7 (C5Me5), 27.8 (CHMe2),
54.8 (CHMe2), 116.8 (C5Me5). IR (CH2Cl2): νmax 2956 s, 2912 s, 2859
s (NH) cm-1. Anal. Calcd for C34H39N3O3Ti: C, 63.83; H, 11.02; N,
11.76. Found: C, 63.62; H, 10.95, N, 11.73.
can potentially form via intermediates H/H′ and I, further studies
will be needed test these proposals. Extensive DFT studies have
been initiated to probe the mechanisms in Schemes 5 and 6 in
an effort to identify the preferred C-N bond forming pathway
and to evaluate whether the intermediates in these mechanisms
face higher barriers for amidine formation relative to transa-
midation.
Cp*Ti(NDiPr)3 (6-d1). This complex was prepared in a similar way
as 6 from 5 (0.372 g, 1.18 mmol) and iPrND2 (0.56 g, 11.80 mmol) to
afford the product 6-d1 as yellow crystals (0.201 g, 49.2%). H NMR
Conclusion
1
The data reported here significantly advance our understand-
ing of Ti-mediated exchange processes involving carboxamides
and amines, particularly with respect to the ability of TiIV to
promote either transamidation or amidine formation depending
on the reaction conditions. We find that TiIV, when present in
approximately stoichiometric quantity with respect to the
substrates, promotes amidine formation rather than transami-
dation. This result is attributed to the formation of a four-
membered metallacycle that can undergo retrocycloaddition to
form amidine and a thermodynamically stable oxotitanium
product. The ability of TiIV to avoid irreversible formation of
oxotitanium products and promote transamidation under the
catalytic conditions is quite remarkable. Insights from the present
study suggest that exogenous substrates (both amine and
carboxamide) present under catalytic conditions prevent forma-
tion of a four-membered metallacycle, as in C, that leads to
amidine formation and Ti inactivation via formation of an oxo
complex. Avoidance of metallacycle C under catalytic reaction
conditions enables transamidation to occur. Substoichiometric
transamidation is observed in the presence of the Cp*TiIV-
(amidate)3 complex 8; however, the electron-donating and
sterically bulky Cp* ligand renders TiIV ineffective as a
transamidation catalyst. Thus, we find that the ability of TiIV
to promote transamidation depends upon both the substrate/Ti
ratio and the ancillary ligands coordinated to TiIV. Although
further work will be necessary to elucidate the mechanistic origin
of transamidation activity, the results of this study highlight an
unexpected dichotomy in the reactivity of TiIV with carboxa-
mides and amines.
(300 MHz, benzene-d6): δ 1.11 (d, 21 H, J ) 7.2 Hz, CHMe2), 1.88
(s, 15 H, C5Me5), 4.28 (sept, 3 H, J ) 7.2 Hz, CHMe2).
Cp*Ti(NHiPr)[κ2-OC(Me)NPh]2 (7). To a solution of 6 (0.047 g,
0.13 mmol) in 10 mL of Et2O, acetanilide (0.025 g, 0.19 mmol) was
added at ambient temperature. The reaction was stirred overnight,
whereupon all the volatiles were removed under vacuum, and the
residue was extracted with pentane, filtered through Celite, and
evaporated to dryness. The residue was crystallized from ca. 3 mL of
pentane at -30 °C to afford the product 7 as yellow crystals (0.032 g,
47.8%). 1H NMR (300 MHz, benzene-d6): δ 0.91 (d, 6 H, J ) 6.6 Hz,
CHMe2), 2.80 (s, 3 H, CMe[OC(Me)NPh]), 2.08 (s, 15 H, C5Me5), 4.86
(sept, 1 H, J ) 6.6 Hz, CHMe2), 6.94-7.21 (m, 10 H, Ph), 8.64 (br s,
1 H, NH). 13C{1H} NMR (75 MHz, benzene-d6): δ 14.2 (C5Me5), 21.7
(CMe[OC(Me)NPh]), 28.7 (CHMe2), 57.6 (CHMe2), 125.3 (C5Me5),
125.9, 128.2, 131.4, 150.8 (Ph), 178.6 (CMe[OC(Me)NPh]). IR (CH2-
Cl2): νmax 3044 m (NH) cm-1; 1588 s, 1546 m (sh) (amidate) cm-1
.
Anal. Calcd for C29H39N3O2Ti: C, 68.36; H, 7.73; N, 8.25. Found: C,
68.66; H, 7.90, N, 8.22.
Cp*Ti(NDiPr)[κ2-OC(Me)NPh]2 (7-d). This complex was prepared
in a similar way as 7-d1 from 6-d1 (0.047 g, 0.13 mmol) and acetanilide
(0.026 g, 0.19 mmol) to afford the product 7-d1 as yellow crystals (0.034
1
g, 51.2%). H NMR (300 MHz, benzene-d6): δ 0.87 (d, 6 H, J ) 6.6
Hz, CHMe2), 1.75 (s, 3 H, CMe[OC(Me)NPh]), 2.02 (s, 15 H, C5Me5),
4.80 (sept, 1 H, J ) 6.6 Hz, CHMe2), 6.90-7.15 (m, 10 H, Ph).
Cp*Ti[κ1-OC(Me)NPh][κ2-OC(Me)NPh]2 (8). To a solution of 6
(0.094 g, 0.26 mmol) in 15 mL of Et2O, acetanilide (0.107 g, 0.78
mmol) was added at ambient temperature. The reaction was stirred
overnight, whereupon all the volatiles were removed under vacuum,
the residue was extracted three times with 4 mL of 6:1 pentane/toluene
solvent mixture, filtered through Celite, and evaporated to dryness. The
residue was crystallized from ca. 5 mL of 6:1 pentane/toluene solvent
mixture at -30 °C to afford the product 8 as red crystals (0.107 g,
1
70.0%). H NMR (300 MHz, benzene-d6): δ 1.66 (s, 3 H, CMe[κ1-
Experimental Section
OC(Me)NPh]), 2,12 (s, 6 H, CMe[κ2-OC(Me)NPh]), 1.92, 1.93 (s, 15
H, C5Me5), 6.99-7.53 (m, 15 H, Ph). 13C{1H} NMR (75 MHz, benzene-
d6): δ 11.8, 12.0 (C5Me5), 19.1 (CMe[κ1-OC(Me)NPh]), 24.3 (CMe[κ2-
OC(Me)NPh]), 123.3, 124.2 (C5Me5), 121.6, 124.6, 128.6, 129.0, 129.9,
146.4, 147.3, 150.8 (Ph), 174.8 (CMe[κ1-OC(Me)NPh]), 175.3 (CMe-
[κ2-OC(Me)NPh]). IR (CH2Cl2): νmax 1604 m (sh), 1596 s, 1561 m
(sh) (amidate) cm-1. Anal. Calcd for C34H39N3O3Ti: C, 69.73; H, 6.73;
N, 7.18. Found: C, 69.65; H, 6.85, N, 7.63.
Thermolysis of 7 Leading to MeC(dNiPr)NHPh (9) and Cp*Ti(µ-
O)[κ2-OC(Me)NPh]}2 (10). A solution of 7 (0.058 g, 0.11 mmol) in 1
mL of C6D6 was heated at 50 °C for 3 h, whereupon 1H NMR spectrum
showed ∼100% conversion of the starting material into amidine 9 and
complex 10. Then all the volatiles were removed under vacuum, the
residue was dissolved in 1 mL of CH2Cl2, layered with 5 mL of pentane,
and stored at -30 °C for 2 days. The supernatant, decanted from yellow
crystals of 10 (0.042 g, 87.4%), which contained 9 and residual 10
was evaporated to dryness; the residue extracted with ca. 3 mL of 2:1
pentane/Et2O solvent mixture, filtered through Celite, and crystallized
at -30 °C to afford the amidine 9 as white crystals (0.014 g, 69.5%).
General Procedures. All manipulations were carried out under an
atmosphere of nitrogen using standard Schlenk or glove box techniques.
All solvents (diethyl ether, dichloromethane, toluene, and pentane) were
dried by passing over a column of activated alumina followed by a
column of Q-5 scavenger. Complex 5,13 PhCH2ND2, and iPrND219 were
synthesized according to literature procedures. All other reagents were
purchased from commercial sources and used as supplied.
Benzene-d6 and CD2Cl2 were dried over Na-K alloy/benzophenone
and CaH2, respectively, for 24 h and vacuum transferred prior to use.
1H and 13C{1H} NMR spectra were recorded on Bruker AC-300
spectrometers at 300 and 75 MHz, respectively. Elemental analyses
were performed by Midwest Microlab laboratory.
Cp*Ti(NHiPr)3 (6). To a solution of 5 (0.372 g, 1.18 mmol) in 10
mL of toluene, isopropyl amine (1.0 mL, 11.80 mmol) was added at
ambient temperature. The reaction was brought to reflux in a sealed
Schlenk tube at 110 °C overnight, whereupon all the volatiles were
removed under vacuum, and the residue was extracted with 10 mL of
pentane, filtered through Celite and evaporated to dryness. The residue
was crystallized from ca. 7 mL of pentane at -30 °C to afford the
(20) (a) Becke, A. D. Phys. ReV. A 1988, 38, 3098-3100. (b) Lee, C.; Yang,
W.; Parr, R. G. Phys. ReV. B 1988, 37, 785-789. (c) Becke, A. D. J. Chem.
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(19) (a) Khanzada, A. W. K.; McDowell, C. A. J. Magn. Res. 1977, 27, 483-
496. (b) Ross, S. D.; Finkelstein, M.; Petersen, R. C. J. Am. Chem. Soc.
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9
1782 J. AM. CHEM. SOC. VOL. 129, NO. 6, 2007