Assembly of molybdenum/titanium mu-oxo complexes via radical alkoxide C-O cleavage

A novel chemical reaction wherein an alkyl radical on the fringes of an NMoO3 or MoO4 tetrahedron is replaced by a titanium-based radical is presented. Some of the basic characteristics of the new reaction are metalloradical attack on an exposed terminal atom, electron transfer across the bridge according to the scheme first outlined by Taube and the retreat of a peripheral substituent to regenerate an exposed terminal and a d(super 0) system.