Krzysztof Kuciński

Highly Efficient Catalytic Route for the Synthesis of Functionalized Silsesquioxanes

Silsesquioxanes (POSS) have recently become the subject of growing interest in many branches of materials chemistry. Despite this great interest, no direct metal-catalyzed method to cap the corner of the POSS molecules has yet been proposed. In this report, we present a highly efficient method for the synthesis of functionalized silsesquioxanes mediated by scandium(III) triflate, which opens up the possibility of introducing a wide variety of functional groups into this class of organosilicon compounds under mild conditions with excellent yields. We also investigated the differences in the activity of the Lewis acid (Sc(OTf)3) and the hidden Brønsted acid (TfOH) generated in situ from triflates as catalysts in the functionalization of silsesquioxanes. What is more, this solution provides an efficient corner-capping reaction and other functionalizations to obtain silsesquioxane derivatives which are often not possible to synthesize with good yields, efficiency, and chemoselectivity using conventional methods.

Highly Selective Hydrothiolation of Unsaturated Organosilicon Compounds Catalyzed by Scandium(III) Triflate

The first use of a Lewis acid catalyst in the addition reaction of both aromatic and aliphatic thiols to unsaturated organosilicon compounds is reported. In catalytic tests, scandium(III) triflate demonstrates high catalytic activity in this process. Under mild conditions (25 °C, room temperature, 1-10 h) a number of thioether-functionalized organosilicon species are obtained with appreciable selectivity. This study constitutes the first example of allylsilane hydrothiolation that gives the Markovnikov regioisomer as the main product. Ethynylsilanes are also successfully used in the hydrothiolation reaction in the presence of Sc(OTf)3 .

Catalytic Formation of Silicon-Heteroatom (N, P, O, S) Bonds

Silicon and its compounds with other heteroatoms have received considerable attention, particularly because of their applicative ability. Silicon forms a large number of compounds with other p‐block elements (e.g., C, N, S, O, F, Cl, and others). All of them affect practical chemistry to some extent and are characterized by unique properties. This article highlights recent developments and covers the literature from the last 10 years. It is mainly focused on catalytic methods for silicon–nitrogen, silicon–phosphorus, silicon–oxygen, and silicon–sulfur bond formation. The scope and applications of these practical compounds will also be discussed.

Chemoselective and Catalyst-Free O-Borylation of Silanols: A Facile Access to Borasiloxanes

This paper demonstrates the first highly chemoselective syntheses of various borasiloxanes from hydroboranes and silanols, achieved through catalyst-free dehydrogenative coupling at room temperature. This green protocol, which uses easily accessible reagents, allows for the obtaining of borasiloxanes under air atmosphere and solvent-free conditions.

Introduction of Boron Functionalities into Silsesquioxanes: Novel Independent Methodologies

Owing to their versatile application possibilities, silsesquioxanes (SQs) are of considerable interest for creating hybrid inorganic-organic materials. In this report, two novel and independent strategies for the direct attachment of boron functionalities to silsesquioxanes are presented. Encouraged by our previous work concerning the synthesis of borasiloxanes through the catalyst-free dehydrogenative coupling of silanols and boranes, we decided to apply our method to a synthesis of various boron-functionalized silsesquioxanes. During our tests, we also investigated the activity of scandium(III) triflate, which we have previously used as an excellent catalyst for the obtaining of Si-O-Si and Si-O-Ge moieties. As a result, we also discovered a novel approach for the O-borylation of Si-OH groups in silsesquioxanes with allylborane. Both routes are highly chemoselective and efficiently lead to the obtaining of Si-O-B moiety under air atmosphere and at room temperature.

Pt‐catalyzed synthesis of functionalized symmetrical and unsymmetrical disilazanes

In nearly every total synthesis, silylating agents are employed in synthetic steps to protect sensitive functional groups. A Pt-catalyzed hydrosilylation of various unsaturated substrates to prepare novel symmetrical and unsymmetrical disilazanes is described. The developed synthetic methodology is widely applicable and tolerates all manner of functional groups (e.g., amines, ethers, esters, halogens, silanes, etc.). To demonstrate the value of the described method, mono-substituted 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazanes were further selectively converted to completely new unsymmetrical derivatives.

Catalyst-free and solvent-free hydroboration of aldehydes

A simple catalyst-free and solvent-free method for the hydroboration of various aldehydes bearing a wide array of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups was developed. Unlike aldehydes, the addition of boranes to ketones is less efficient and is thus advantageous for the chemoselective reduction of the former ones. It is suggested that the described transformation proceeds with the formation of Lewis acid–base adducts, which facilitates further hydroboration.

Silica Surface Modification and Its Application in Permanent Link with Nucleic Acids

In this paper, the Pt-catalyzed hydrosilylation of hydroxyl ethers is described. Various bifunctional alkoxysilanes were obtained and applied in O-silylation of free hydroxyl groups on the silica surface. These modified solid materials have been used as excellent supports for linking synthetic nucleic acids. Nucleic acids permanently attached to the solid surface were tested in hybridization with complementary fluorescence-labeled sequences. Detection of nucleic acids anchored to the solid support was performed by fluorescence microscopy after hybridization.