The synthesis, structure and ethene polymerization activity of octahedral heteroligated (salicylaldiminato)(β-enaminoketonato)titanium complexes: The X-ray crystal structure of {3-But-2-(O)C6H3CHN(Ph)}{(Ph)NC(Me)C(H)C(Me)O}TiCl2

Treatment of the mono(salicylaldiminato)titanium complexes {3-But-2-(O)C6H3CHN(Ar)}TiCl3(THF) (Ar = C6H5, 2,4,6-Me3C6H2 or C6F5) with the potassium β-enaminoketonates (C6H5)NC(CH3)C(H)C(R)OK (R = CH3, CF3) yielded the first examples of heteroligated (salicylaldiminato) (β-enaminoketonato)titanium dichloride complexes. The complex {3-But-2-(O)C6H3CHN(C6H5)}{(C6H5)NC(CH3)C(H)C(CH3)O}TiCl2 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction and has an orientation with trans-O,O,cis-Cl,Cl, cis-N,N distorted octahedral geometry. These complexes polymerize ethene when activated with MAO; the highest productivity, 5650 kg PE (mol metal)−1 h−1 atm−1, was afforded by {3-But-2-(O)C6H3CHN(C6F5)}{(C6H5)NC(CH3)C(H)C(CF3)O}TiCl2 at 60 °C.