Synthesis and structural characterization of novel silenes stabilized by intramolecular coordination of a dialkylamino group

Abstract

Two intramolecularly donor-stabilized silenes, 1-(8-dimethylamino-1-naphthyl)-1,2,2-tris(trimethylsilyl)silene (6a) and 1-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenyl)-1,2,2-tris(trimethylsilyl)silene (6b), were synthesized according to a novel one-step process by the reaction of (dichloromethyl)tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (1) with a twofold molar excess of 8-dimethylamino-1-naphthyllithium or 2-(dimethylaminomethyl)phenyllithium, respectively. Compounds 6a and 6b are thermally stable compounds. X-ray structural analyses of both silenes revealed strong donor-acceptor interactions between the dialkylamino groups and the electrophilic silene silicon atoms (Si-N distances: 6a: 1.751(3) Å; 6b: 1.749(3) Å) that lead to pyramidalization at the silicon centers. In contrast, the configuration at the silene carbon atoms was found to be planar. The Si=C distances (6a: 1.751(3) Å; 6b: 1.749(3) Å) fit with literature data of comparable compounds. Addition of water or methanol to the Si=C bonds of 6a,b afforded the silanols 7a,b and the methoxysilanes 8a,b, respectively. The compound 1-(8-dimethylaminomethyl-1-naphthyl)-1,2,2-tris(trimethylsilyl)silene (6c), generated following the same procedure by the reaction of 1 with 8-(dimethylaminomethyl)-1-naphthyllithium (molar ratio 1:2) proved to be unstable at room temperature and underwent rapid insertion of the Si=C group into a methylene C-H bond of the dimethylaminomethylnaphthyl ligand to afford the 1-silaacenaphthene 9.