Titanium Tebbe reagent

Chlorobis(cyclopentadienyl)(diinethylaluininuin)-/u-inethylene titanium (Tebbe reagent). 

Although the molybdenum and ruthenium complexes 1-3 have gained widespread popularity as initiators of RCM, the cydopentadienyl titanium derivative 93 (Tebbe reagent) [28,29] can also be used to promote olefin metathesis processes (Scheme 13) [28]. In a stoichiometric sense, 93 can be also used to promote the conversion of carbonyls into olefins [28b, 29]. Both transformations are thought to proceed via the reactive titanocene methylidene 94, which is released from the Tebbe reagent 93 on treatment with base. Subsequent reaction of 94 with olefins produces metallacyclobutanes 95 and 97. Isolation of these adducts, and extensive kinetic and labeling studies, have aided in the eluddation of the mechanism of metathesis processes [28]. 

Scheme 19. Titanium-mediated metathesis strategy for the conversion of olefinic esters to 6- and 7-mem -bered cyclic enol ethers, (a) 4.0 equiv of Tebbe reagent (93), THF, 25°C, 20 min then reflux, 2-8 h, 64% (129), 45% (131a), 32% (131b), 45% (133) (Nicolaou etal.) [34a]...

The alkyl-substituted titanium carbene complex 18 reacts with norbornene 24 to form a new titanacycle 25, which can be employed for the ROMP of 24 (Scheme 14.13). The titanacycle generated by the reaction of the Tebbe reagent with 24 is also used as an initiator for the same polymerization [23]. These preformed titanacyclobutanes also initiate ROMP of various other strained olefin monomers [24],... 

Similarly to alkenes, alkynes react with various titanium-methylidene precursors, such as the Tebbe reagent [13,63], titanacydobutanes [9b, 64], and dimethyltitanocene [65] to form the titanium-containing unsaturated cyclic compounds, titanacydobutenes 67 (Scheme 14.29). Alternatively, 2,3-diphenyltitanacydobutene can be prepared by the reaction of the complex titanocene(II) bis(trimethylphosphine) with 1,2-diphenylcyclopropene [66]. Substituent effects in titanacydobutenes [67], the preparation of titanocene-vinylke-tene complexes by carbonylation of titanacydobutenes [68], and titanacyclobutene-vinylcar-bene complex interconversion [69] have been investigated. 

Apart from the tandem metathesis/carbonyl o[efination reaction mediated by the Tebbe reagent (Section 3.2.4.2), few examples of the use of stoichiometric amounts of Schrock-type carbene complexes have been reported. A stoichiometric variant of cross metathesis has been described by Takeda in 1998 [634]. Titanium carbene complexes, generated in situ from dithioacetals, Cp2TiCl2, magnesium, and triethylphosphite (see Experimental Procedures 3.2.2 and 3.2.6), were found to undergo stoichiometric cross-metathesis reactions with allylsilanes [634]. The scope of this reaction remains to be explored. 

Methyl ketones. The Tebbe reagent (1) reacts with acyl chlorides to form methyl ketones in 35-65% yield (equation I). That an intermediate titanium enolate may be involved is indicated because addition of methyl iodide before aqueous work-up results in formation of an ethyl ketone. 

The Tebbe reagent reacts with acid chlorides to give titanium enolate. 

The titanium-aluminum methylidene (3), commonly known as the Tebbe reagent,was the first well-characterized compound in this series. The Tebbe reagent (3) and related metallacycles (4) have been used principally as methylidene sources toward carbonyl groups. Both are believed to provide the titanium methylidene (5). ... 

In the case of the Tebbe reagent, the titanium methylidene is presumably released by some Lewis base. That base is often the heteroatom of the substrate. A Lewis base such as tetrahydrofuran or pyridine may be added to the reaction and usually enhances reactivity relative to reaction with the substrate alone- ... 

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