Oxidative Bond Cleavage of the Silicon-Silicon Bond of a Pentacoordinated Disilicate

Abstract

The SiSi bond of a pentacoordinated disilicate was readily cleaved by treatment with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone in the presence of sodium carbonate under mild conditions. The bond cleavage did not proceed under the same conditions after conversion of the disilicate into the corresponding monoanionic silylsilicate and neutral disilane by protonation. The difference in the charges of the SiSi bond compounds affects the reactivity toward an oxidant, resulting in the SiSi bond cleavage, considering that all of these compounds have a bond between pentacoordinated silicon atoms.