Using Like Function With Replace

I have a need to evaluate a parameter to use like keywords. (Not my server, so indexing is not available.) I can get the first scenario to work, but wanted to see about getting the syntax so I wouldn't have to exec the statement. If I run the first execute statement, I get three rows (accurate). If I run the second statement, I get no rows. Anybody help me out with the syntax? I've tried so many variations, I'm lost. Many thanks.

declare @key as varChar(50), @sql as varchar(1000)
set @key='flow afow'

set @sql='select myID from myTable where [title] like ''%' + replace(rtrim(ltrim(@key)),' ','%'' or [title] like ''%') + '%'''
exec(@sql)

select myID from myTable where [title] like '%' + replace(@key,' ', '%''' or [title] like '''%') + '%'