Crystal structure of a trinuclear titanium(IV) complex with (rac)-3,3′-bis(methoxymethyl)-BINOlate

Reaction of (rac)-3,3′-bis(methoxymethyl)-BINOL [H ₂(CH₃OCH₂)₂BINO] with excess Ti(OⁱPr)₄ and one equivalent of H₂O in CH ₂Cl₂ affords a trinuclear titanium(IV) complex [{(CH ₃OCH₂)₂BINO}Ti₃(μ₃-O) (OⁱPr)₆(μ₂-O_iPr)₂]. By dissolving it in dichloromethane and hexane and cooling to 0 °C, plate-like pale yellow single crystals (monoclinic, P2₁/n, a = 12.605(3), b = 21.994(5), c = 19.090(4) Å, β = 92.764(8)°, V = 5286.2(19) ų, T = 293(2) K) were obtained. Each oxygen atom at 2 or 2′ position of the (CH₃OCH₂)₂BINO ligand bonds to only one titanium atom. There is no interaction between the third Ti atom and the two oxygen atoms of 3,3′-bis(methoxymethyl)-BINOLate.