A cyclic disilylated stannylene: synthesis, dimerization, and adduct formation

Area of Science:

• Organometallic Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Silicon-Tin Chemistry

Background:

• Transient stannylene intermediates are challenging to isolate and study.
• The synthesis of novel silicon-tin compounds offers insights into bonding and reactivity.
• Dimerization of low-coordinate tin species is a key reaction pathway.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize an endocyclic distannene.
• To investigate the trapping of transient stannylene intermediates.
• To explore the reactivity of stannylenes with donor molecules.

Main Methods:

• Reaction of 1,4-dipotassio-1,1,4,4-tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)tetramethyltetrasilane with bis(trimethylsilyl)amido tin.
• Trapping of the transient stannylene intermediate with triethylphosphine (PEt(3)).
• Reaction of the PEt(3) adduct with tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C6F5)3).

Main Results:

• Formation of an endocyclic distannene via stannylene dimerization.
• Isolation of a triethylphosphine-stannylene adduct.
• Synthesis of a stannylene-boron adduct through reaction with B(C6F5)3.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates a viable route to endocyclic distannenes.
• Transient stannylenes can be effectively trapped by strong donor ligands.
• The reactivity of stannylenes with Lewis acids like B(C6F5)3 is confirmed.