Solvent dependence of the monomer-dimer equilibrium of ketone-substituted triscatecholate titanium(IV) complexes.

Hierarchical helicates based on ketone-substituted titanium(IV)triscatecholates show different monomer-dimer behavior depending on different solvents. The dimerization constants of a whole series of differently alkyl-substituted complexes is analyzed to show that the solvent has a very strong influence on the dimerization. Hereby, effects like solvophobicity/philicity, sterics, electronics of the substituents and weak side chain-side chain interactions seem to act in concert.