Preparation of a Compound with a SiII−SiIV−SiII Bonding Arrangement

Abstract

Herein, we report the synthesis of a rare bis-silylene, 1, in which two SiIIatoms are bridged by a SiIV atom. Compound 1 contains an unusual SiII−SiIV−SiII bonding arrangement with SiII−SiIV bond distances of 2.4212(8) and 2.4157(7) Å. Treatment of 1 with Fe(CO)5 afforded a dinuclear Fe0 complex 2 with two unusually long Si−Si bonds (2.4515(8) and 2.4488(10) Å). We have also carried out a detailed computational study to understand the nature of the Si−Si bonds in these compounds. Natural bond orbital (NBO) and energy decomposition analysis–natural orbital for chemical valence (EDA-NOCV) analyses reveal that the Si−Si bonds in 1 and 2 are of an electron-sharing nature.