Neutral six-coordinate bis(dithiocarbamato)silicon(iv) complexes with an SiCl₂S₄ skeleton

Treatment of SiCl₄ with lithium dithiocarbamates of the formula type Li[R₂NCS₂] (R = Ph, iPr) in a molar ratio of 1 : 2 afforded the respective six-coordinate silicon(iv) complexes [Ph₂NCS₂]₂SiCl₂ (3) and [iPr₂NCS₂]₂SiCl₂ (4), which were isolated as the solvates 3·MeCN and 4·MeCN. Compounds 3·MeCN and 4·MeCN were structurally characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and multinuclear NMR spectroscopic studies in the solid state and in solution. In this study, dithiocarbamato ligands were implemented in silicon coordination chemistry for the first time. Compounds 3 and 4 represent the first six-coordinate silicon(iv) complexes with an SiCl₂S₄ skeleton.