Synthesis of Transient Silenes by a Modified Peterson Reaction

Abstract

AbstractTris(trimethylsilyl)silylmagnesium bromide, obtained in situ from tris(trimethylsilyl)silyllithium and magnesium bromide, reacts with acetone, pivalaldehyde, or 2,4,6‐trimethylbenzaldehyde to give the (1‐hydroxyalkyl)tris(trimethylsilyl)silanes (Me3Si)3SiC(OH)Me2 (1a), (Me3Si)3CH(OH)tBu (1b), and (Me3Si)3SiC(OH)Mes (1c), resp. After deprotonation with methyllithium in ether at ‐78°C 1a‐c eliminate trimethylsilanolate according to a modified Peterson mechanism to form transient silenes (Me3Si)2Si=CR1R2 (6a: R1 = R2 = Me; 6b: R1 = H, R2 = tBu; 6c: R1 = H, R2 = Mes). In the absence of trapping agents these silenes dimerize, 6a leading to the linear dimer 1‐isopropenyl‐2‐isopropyl‐1,1,2,2‐tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)disilane (7) and 6b giving the head‐to‐head cyclodimerization product (E)‐3,4‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,1,2,2‐tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)‐1,2‐disilacyclobutane (8), whereas 6c in a very unusual cyclodimerization step affords (E)‐1,2,3,8a‐tetrahydro‐1‐mesityl‐5,7,8a‐trimethyl‐2,2,3,3‐tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)‐2,3‐disilanaphthalene (9). Compound 9 is the result of an unexpected [2 + 4] reaction, in which the silene formally acts as the monoene and – involving the aromatic substituent – simultaneously also as the diene. The reaction of 1a‐c with methyllithium in THF at low temperature initiates 1,3‐Si,O‐trimethylsilyl migrations leading to (trimethylsiloxy)‐[bis(trimethylsilyl)silyl]alkanes (Me3Si)2SiH–CR1R2OSiMe3 3a‐c. Reaction of 1a‐c with an excess of methyllithium, tert‐butyllithium, or phenyllithium, leads to trisilanes (Me3Si)2‐SiR3–CHR1R2 11a‐e, formed by the addition of the organolithium reagent to the Si=C bond of the transient silences 6a‐c. Deprotonation of 1b and 1c in the presence of 2,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐butadiene gives the [2 + 4] cycloadducts 6‐tert‐butyl‐3,4‐dimethyl‐1,1‐bis(trimethylsilyl)‐1‐sila‐3‐cyclohexene (12a) and 6‐mesityl‐3,4‐dimethyl‐1,1‐bis(trimethylsilyl)‐l‐sila‐3‐cyclohexene (12b). For 8 and 9 the results of the X‐ray analyses are given.