SYNTHESIS, PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND X-RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURES OF THE METHYLTRIS[BIS(TRIMETHYLSILYL)AMIDO] COMPOUNDS METI[N(SIME3)2]3 AND MEZR[N(SIME3)2]3

The synthesis and characterization of the compound methyltris[bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]titanium, MeTi[N(SiMe3)2]3 (1), is reported. In the presence of UV radiation or sunlight, 1 decomposed rapidly to the titanium(III) species Ti[N(SiMe3)2]3 (2). The X-ray crystal structures of the compounds MeM[N(SiMe3)2]3, M = Ti and Zr (3), are reported. Compound 3 was stable in sunlight, but the cyclometallated product [(Me3Si)2N]2ZrN(SiMe3)SiMe2CH2 (4) was apparently formed (from 1H and 13C NMR data) when solutions of 3 were exposed to a source of UV radiation. © 1990.