Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Group 4 Metalloporphyrin Diolate Complexes

A number of group 4 metalloporphyrin diolate complexes were synthesized via various approaches. For example, treatment of imido complex (TTP)HfNAriPr with diols resulted in formation of the corresponding diolato complexes (TTP)Hf[OCR1R2CR1R2O] (R1 = R2 = Me, 1; R1 = Me, R2 = Ph, 2; R1 = R2 = Ph, 3). Treatment of (TTP)TiNiPr with diols generated (TTP)Ti[OCR1R2CR1R2O] (R1 = R2 = Me, 5; R1 = Me, R2 = Ph, 6; R1 = H, R2 = Ph, 7; R1 = H, R2 = p-tolyl, 8). Alternatively hafnium and titanium pinacolates 1 and 5 were prepared through metathetical reactions of (TTP)MCl2 (M = Hf, Ti) with disodium pinacolate. The substitution chemistry of hafnium complexes correlated well with the basicity of the diolato ligands. Complexes 1−6 underwent oxidative cleavage reaction, producing carbonyl compounds and oxometalloporphyrin species. For less substituted diolates 7 and 8, an array of products including the enediolate complexes (TTP)Ti[OC(Ar)C(Ar)O] (Ar = Ph, 9; Ar = p-tolyl, 10) was observed. The possible cleavage reaction ...