<p>The masked Ti(II) synthon (<sup>Ket</sup>guan)(<i>η</i><sup>6</sup>-Im<sup>Dipp</sup>N)Ti (<b>1</b>) oxidatively adds across thiophene to give ring-opened (<sup>Ket</sup>guan)(Im<sup>Dipp</sup>N)Ti[<i>κ</i><sup>2</sup>-<i>S</i>(CH)<sub>3</sub><i>C</i>H] (<b>2</b>). Complex <b>2</b> is photosensitive, and upon exposure to light, reductively eliminates thiophene to regenerate <b>1</b> – a rare example of early-metal mediated oxidative-addition/reductive-elimination chemistry. DFT calculations indicate strong titanium π-backdonation to the thiophene π*-orbitals leads to the observed thiophene ring opening across titanium, while a proposed photoinduced LMCT promotes the reverse thiophene elimination from <b>2</b>. Finally, pressurizing solutions of <b>2 </b>with H<sub>2</sub> (150 psi) at 80 °C leads to the hydrodesulfurization of thiophene to give the Ti(IV) sulfide (<sup>Ket</sup>guan)(Im<sup>Dipp</sup>N)Ti(S) (<b>3</b>) and butane. </p>
