Oxotitanium(IV) and dichlorotitanium(IV) complexes with tetradentate Schiff bases

Abstract Attempts to prepare [TiO(salen)] (H 2 salen=1,2-HOC 6 H 4 CHNCH 2 CH 2 NCHC 6 H 4 OH-1,2) and its homologues, analogues of the well known complexes related to [VO(salen)] were only partially successful, in that all the products appear to be polymeric rather than mononuclear, and no crystalline materials were obtained. Homologues of [TiCl 2 (salen)] were similarly difficult to obtain pure, though we determined a crystal structure for [TiCl 2 (1,2-OC 6 H 4 CMeNCH 2 CH 2 NCMeC 6 H 4 O-1,2)]. This has the expected octahedral coordination, though in common with many such materials, there are molecules of solvent, thf and toluene, within the crystal. This complicates characterisation on the basis of microanalysis.