Synthesis and characterization of a series of Group 4 phenoxy-thiol derivatives

A series of Group 4 phenoxy-thiols were developed from the reaction products of a series of metal tert-butoxides ([M(OBut)4]) with four equivalents of 4-mercaptophenol (H-4MP). The products were found by single crystal X-ray diffraction to adopt the general structure [(HOBut)(4MP)3M(μ-4MP)]2 [where M = Ti (1), Zr (2), Hf (3)] from toluene and [(py)2M(4MP)] where M = Ti (4), Zr (5) and [(py)(4MP)3Hf(μ-4MP)]2 (6) from pyridine (py). Varying the [Ti(OR)4] precursors (OR = iso-propoxide (OPri) or neo-pentoxide (ONep)) in toluene led to [(HOR)(4MP)3Ti(μ-4MP)]2 (OR = OPri (7), ONep (8)), which were structurally similar to 1. Lower stoichiometric reactions in toluene led to partial substitution by the 4MP ligands yielding [H][Ti(μ-4MP)(4MP)(ONep)3]2 (9). Independent of the stoichiometry, all of the Ti derivatives were found to be red in color, whereas the heavier congeners were colorless. Attempts to understand this phenomenon led to investigation with a series of varied –SH substituted phenols. From the reaction of H-2MP and H-3MP (2-mercaptophenol and 3-mercaptophenol, respectively), the isolated products had identical arrangements: [(ONep)2(2MP)Ti(μ,η2-2MP)]2 (10) and [(HOR)(3MP)M(μ-3MP)]2 (M/OR = Ti/ONep (11); Zr/OBut (12)) with a similar red color. Based on the simulated and observed UV–Vis spectra, it was reasoned that the color was generated due to a ligand-to-metal charge transfer for Ti that was not available for the larger congeners.

A series of 4-mercaptophenol (H-4MP) modified Group 4 metal alkoxides (1–12) were structurally characterized as [(HOBut)(4MP)3M(μ-4MP)]2 (shown) from toluene and [(py)2M(4MP)] or [(py)(4MP)3Hf(μ-4MP)]2 from pyridine. Based on the simulated and observed UV–Vis spectra, the red color of the Ti compounds was due to a ligand-to-metal charge transfer.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide