A controlling influence on the self-assembly in the complexation reaction of a mixture of methylene- and ethylene-bridged bis(catechol) ligands (1-H4 and 2-H4, respectively) with titanium(IV) ions is exerted by alkali metal cations (see scheme). Thus, not a complicated mixture of complexes, but as a result of a self-recognition of the ligands only well-defined products are formed.
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Albrecht et al. (1999) studied this question.