T
he racemic isomers of C
2H
4(1-Ind)
2TiCl
2 and Me
2Si(2-Me-Benzind)
2TiMe
2 were synt
hesized and structurally c
haracterized. Reactions of t
hese and related
ansa-titanocenecomplexes wit
h met
hylaluminoxane or wit
h t
he cationizing reagent [CP
h3]
+[B(C
6F
5)
4]
-/Al
2Me
6 were monitored by UV/vis,
1H NMR, and EPR met
hods. Under conditions approac
hingt
hose typically used in olefin polymerizations,
heterobinuclear cations of t
he type [DianTi
IV(
-Me)
2AlMe
2]
+ (wit
h Dian = bridged ligand dianion) dominate in eac
h of t
hese reaction systems,w
hic
h catalyze t
he polymerization of propene at temperatures below ambient. Above 0
C,t
hese cations are reduced, mainly to neutral
heterobinuclear species DianTi
III(
-Me)
2AlMe
2,w
hic
h appear to be inactive wit
h regard to polymerization catalysis. In t
he absence ofmonomer, t
he main reducing agent appears to be et
hyl aluminum admixtures in Al
2Me
6.Addition of monomer increases t
he rate of reduction rat
her drastically, probably via formationof titanium
hydrides.