Titanium complexes bearing bidentate benzimidazole-containing ligands and their behavior in ethylene polymerization

A series of potentially bidentate benzimidazolyl ligands of the type (Bim)CH2D (where Bim = benzimidazolyl and D = NMe2L1, NEt2L2, NPri2L3, OMe L4 and SMe L5) has been reacted with Ti(NMe2)4 to give five- and six-coordinate Ti(IV) complexes of the type [(Bim)CH2D]Ti(NMe2)3 and [(Bim)CH2D]2Ti(NMe2)2, respectively. The X-ray structures of [(Bim)CH2OMe]Ti(NMe2)3, [(Bim)CH2NMe2]2Ti(NMe2)2 and [(Bim)CH2OMe)]2Ti(NMe2)2 are reported along with an evaluation of their behavior in ethylene polymerization.