Gregory R. Gillette

Reactions of tetramesityldisilene with azides: Synthesis of disilaaziridines

Abstract The reactions of several organic azides (RN3) with tetramesityldisilene (1) were studied. Azides with R = Ph or Mes each gave two products, a disilaaziridine and a disilatriazoline. When R = PhCH2 or Me3SiCH2 intermediate adducts of the azide and the disilene were found. These adducts and the disilatriazolines both react thermally to yield the respective disilaaziridines. For R = Me3Si only a disilaaziridine was observed, the structure of which was determined by X-ray crystallography and was found to have a short SiSi internuclear distance of 2.23 A. Crystal data: R = trimethylsilyl, a 23.561(3), b 19.001(3), c 16.916(3) A, monoclinic, β = 106.095°, C2/c, Z = 8. Novel five-membered silicon heterocycles were isolated from the reactions of 1 with toluenesulfonyl azide and diphenylphosphonyl azide.

Three-, Four- and Five-Membered Rings From Disilenes

Abstract Disilenes, R2Si=SiR2, react with many substances to produce cyclic compounds containing two silicon atoms and one or more heteroatoms. Host of these products are new ring systems, and some show abnormal structures with short Si-Si bonds, suggesting unusual chemical bonding.