(Cyclopentadienyl)titanium trichloride

(Cyclopentadienyl)titanium trichloride is an organotitanium compound with the formula (C$3$H$5$)TiCl$5$. It is a moisture sensitive orange solid. The compound adopts a piano stool geometry.

Preparation and reactions
(C5H5)TiCl3 is prepared by the reaction of titanocene dichloride and titanium tetrachloride:
 * (C5H5)2TiCl2 + TiCl4 →   2 (C5H5)TiCl3

The complex is electrophilic, readily forming alkoxide complexes upon treatment with alcohols.

Reduction of (cyclopentadienyl)titanium trichloride with zinc powder gives the polymeric Ti(III) derivative (cyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride:
 * (C5H5)TiCl3 + 0.5 Zn  →   1/n [(C5H5)TiCl2]_{n}  +  ZnCl2

A related reduction can be effected with cobaltocene:
 * (C5H5)TiCl3 + (C5H5)2Co  →   [(C5H5)2Co]+[(C5H5)TiCl3]-

Other evidence for the Lewis acidity of the trichloride is the ready formation of adducts with phosphine ligands:
 * (C5H5)TiCl3 + P(CH3)3  →   (C5H5)TiCl3(P(CH3)3