A straightforward synthesis of a new type of tetradentate dianionic [OSSO]-type ligand is described. This ligand features an ethylenedithiol core bridged via methylene groups to substituted phenols, thus representing an S analogue of the [ONNO]-type Salan ligands. The [OSSO]H2 ligand precursor reacted with titanium(IV) isopropoxide and with zirconium(IV) tert-butoxide to give the corresponding [OSSO]-M(OR)2 complexes, which formed as single C2-symmetric isomers but were fluxional according to variable-temperature NMR. An X-ray structure of [OSSO]-Zr(O-t-Bu)2 supported the fac-fac wrapping mode of the ligand. The dibenzyl complex [OSSO]-Zr(bn)2 that was obtained by a reaction between the ligand precursor and tetrabenzylzirconium was found to be an active 1-hexene polymerization catalyst upon activation with B(C6F5)3, leading to a stereoirregular polymer despite its C2 symmetry.

Chiral Salan ligands were found to wrap in a highly diastereoselective manner around zirconium leading to C2-symmetric complexes of predetermined chirality at the metal. These complexes led to active polymerization of higher olefins, their activity and isospecific induction depending on the nature of the phenolate substituents.

The degree of diastereoselectivity in the wrapping of four new chiral Salan ligands to form chiral-at-metal titanium complexes ranged from mild to perfect as a function of the ligands' N substituents; the enantiomerically pure complexes catalyzed the addition of diethyl zinc to benzaldehyde in 73-76% enantiomeric excess.

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