Molecular λ5-silicates: Synthesis, structure and properties of zwitterionic λ5-organospirosilicates and λ5-organofluorosilicates

Bis(catecholato)silanes: assessing, rationalizing and increasing silicon's Lewis superacidity

Although bis(catecholato)silanes have been known for several decades, their substantial Lewis acidity is not yet well described in the literature. Herewith, the synthesis and characterization of multiple substituted bis(catecholato)silanes and their triethylphosphine oxide, fluoride and chloride ion adducts are reported. The Lewis acidity of bis(catecholato)silanes is assessed by effective (Gutmann-Beckett, catalytic efficiency), global (theoretical and relative experimental fluoride (FIA) and chloride (CIA) ion affinities) and intrinsic (electrophilicity index) scaling methods. This comprehensive set of experimental and theoretical results reveals their general Lewis acidic nature and provides a consistent Lewis acidity trend for bis(catecholato)silanes for the first time. All experimental findings are supported by high-level DLPNO-CCSD(T) based thermochemical data and the Lewis acidity is rationalized by complementary chemical bonding analysis tools. Against the common belief that inductive electron withdrawal is the most important criterion for strong Lewis acidity, the present work highlights the decisive role of π-back bonding effects in aromatic ring systems to enhance electron deficiency. Thus, bis(perbromocatecholato)silane is identified and synthesized as the new record holder for silicon Lewis superacids.

Silicon rehybridization and molecular rearrangements in hypercoordinate silicon dichelates

Hydrazide-based hypercoordinate silicon dichelates are remarkably flexible in terms of geometry and reactivity: this paper demonstrates how rather subtle constitutional changes result in dramatic geometrical and reactivity changes. A change of ligand-donor group from NMe2 to N=CMe2 changes the solid-state geometry from bicapped tetrahedral to octahedral. These two geometries are shown to coexist in solution in dynamic equilibrium. Hexacoordinate complexes are shown to dissociate to pentacoordinate compounds in two distinct ways: ionic or neutral, depending on substitution. Hexacoordinate dichelates with imino-donor groups undergo a skeletal rearrangement (intramolecular aldol-type condensation of imines), catalyzed by their dissociated halide counterions. However, even in the absence of counterions, silacyclobutane dichelates undergo a similar rearrangement.

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Neutral Higher-Coordinate Silicon(iv) Complexes with Tridentate Dianionic Chelate Ligands

The neutral pentacoordinate silicon(IV) complexes 8 and 9 with an SiO2N3 skeleton and the neutral hexacoordinate silicon(IV) complex 10.1/2 CH3CN with an SiO4N2 skeleton were synthesized, starting from tetra(cyanato-N)silane or tetra(thiocyanato-N)silane. Compounds 8 and 9 contain one tridentate dianionic ligand derived from 4-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)amino]pent-3-en-2-one and two monodentate singly charged cyanato-N or thiocyanato-N ligands bound to the silicon(IV) coordination center, whereas the silicon(IV) center of 10 is coordinated by two of these tridentate dianionic ligands. All compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and solid-state and solution NMR spectroscopy. To get more information about the stereochemistry of the compounds studied, the experimental investigations were complemented by computational studies.

Monocyclic Zwitterionic λ5Si-Silicates with an SiO2FC2 Framework: Syntheses and Structural Characterization in the Solid State and in Solution

Treatment of the acyclic zwitterionic pentacoordinate silicate F(3)MeSiCH(2)NMe(2)H with 1 molar equiv of Me(3)SiOC(6)H(4)OSiMe(3), Me(3)SiOCH(2)C(O)OSiMe(3), Me(3)SiOC(Ph)=NOSiMe(3), or Me(3)SiOC(O)C(O)OSiMe(3) (solvent CH(3)CN, room temperature) yielded the respective monocyclic zwitterionic pentacoordinate silicates (11a), (12a), (13a), and (14a), along with 2 molar equiv of Me(3)SiF. The derivatives 11b-14b with a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinio substituent instead of the dimethylammonio group were prepared analogously, starting from F(3)MeSiCH(2)NR(2)H (NR(2)H = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinio). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies showed that the Si-coordination polyhedra of 11a.1.5CH(3)CN, 12a-14a, and 11b-14b are distorted trigonal bipyramids, the axial positions being occupied by the fluorine atom and one of the two oxygen atoms (12a/12b, carboxylate oxygen atom; 13a/13b, carbon-linked oxygen atom). These results are in agreement with the NMR data ((1)H, (13)C, (19)F, (29)Si) obtained for these compounds in solution. The chiral (C(1) symmetry) zwitterions 11a-14a and 11b-14b exist as pairs of (A)- and (C)-enantiomers in solution. VT (1)H NMR studies with 11b-14b in CH(3)CN in the temperature range 25-85 degrees C gave no indications for an enantiomerization process [(A)/(C)-enantiomerization] at the silicon atom.