Stannasiloxanes with Acyclic, Bicyclic, and Cubic Core Structures: X-ray Crystal Structure of the Bicyclic Compound [RSi(OSnPh2O)3SiR] (R = (2,6-Me2C6H3)NSiMe3)

A comparison of the chemical bonding and reactivity of Si8H8O12 and Ge8H8O12: A theoretical study

We have analyzed the chemical bonding and reactivity in the cubic molecule octahydridosilsesquioxane, Si₈H₈O₁₂, and its counterpart Ge₈H₈O₁₂ by means of ab initio quantum chemical methods and group theory. Density functional theory and MP2 methods combined with the basis sets 6-311+G(d) and 6-311++G(2d,p) were used for geometry optimization and vibrational frequency analysis. The geometries of Si₈H₈O₁₂ and Ge₈H₈O₁₂ are unstable under O_h symmetry and distort to the rare T_h molecular symmetry. The energy gained from this pseudo-Jahn-Teller distortion ranges from 0.78 to 6.14 kcal mol^-1 depending on methodological treatment. The Fukui functions and the molecular electrostatic potential were both used as DFT-based reactivity descriptors. Our study shows that Si₈H₈O₁₂ and Ge₈H₈O₁₂ are both hard amphoteric molecules. The cavity within each cage is acidic and able to encapsulate hard small bases such as F^-. The exterior of the cages is basic and can form stable exohedral complexes with hard acids, as in the case of H⁺. The insertion of F^- in Si₈H₈O₁₂ and Ge₈H₈O₁₂ cages gives the most stable endohedral complexes of the series studied, characterized by formation energies of -3.50 and -3.45 eV at CAM-B3LYP/6-311+G(d) and -3.61 and -3.68 eV at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level, respectively. The calculated formation energies of the exohedral and endohedral complexes align with the DFT reactivity descriptor analysis.

Reactions of [t-Bu(2)SnO](3) with [t-BuX(2)Si](2) (X = F, Cl). Syntheses and Structures of Novel Stannasiloxanes and of [(t-Bu(2)FSn)(2)O](2), the First Fluorine-Containing Tetraorganodistannoxane(,)

Di-tert-butyltin oxide, (t-Bu(2)SnO)(3) (1), reacts with 1,2-di-tert-butyltetrachlorodisilane, (t-BuCl(2)Si)(2) (2), to provide the stannasiloxane t-Bu(2)Sn[OSi(OSnCl-t-Bu(2))-t-Bu](2) (4, racemate). The reaction of 1 with 1,2-di-tert-butyltetrafluorodisilane, (t-BuF(2)Si)(2) (3), provides the stannasiloxane [t-Bu(F)SiOSn-t-Bu(2)](2)O (5, meso/racemate mixture) and the tetraorganodistannoxane [t-Bu(2)(F)SnOSn(F)-t-Bu(2)](2) (6). Under loss of (1)/(3) mole equiv of 1, the stannasiloxane 5 is transformed into t-Bu(2)Sn[OSi(F)-t-BuSi(F)-t-BuO](2)Sn-t-Bu(2) (7). Its ten-membered ring structure was elucidated by X-ray analysis. In solution, 7 forms the five-membered ring t-Bu(2)Sn[OSi(F)-t-Bu](2) (7a). The dimeric nature of 6 was confirmed by its crystal structure determination. In solution, 6 exhibits a unique valence tautomerism as evidenced by (19)F and (119)Sn NMR spectroscopy.