Formal Nucleophilic Silyl Substitution of Aryl Halides with Silyllithium Reagents via Halogenophilic Attack of Silyl Nucleophiles

Abstract

A new reaction has been developed for the formal nucleophilic silyl substitution of aryl halides with silyllithium or silylpotassium reagents. Dimethylphenylsilyllithium reacted with various aryl halides to form the corresponding arylsilanes in moderate to good yields with concomitant formation of the disilanes under the optimized reaction conditions. Mechanistic studies indicated that this silyl substitution reaction progresses through polar halogenophilic attack of silyl nucleophiles.