Stereocontrolled Syntheses of Functionalized cis- and trans-Siladecalins

We report the synthesis of both diastereomers of an all-silicon analog of decalin. Carbocyclic decalin is a ubiquitous bicyclic structural motif. The siladecalin synthesis provides materials functionalized with either Si-Ph or Si-H groups, versatile entry points for further chemical diversification. The synthesis of silicon-stereogenic silanes is significantly less precedented than the synthesis of asymmetric carbon centers, and strategies for control of relative stereochemistry in oligosilanes are hardly described. This study offers insights of potential generality, such as the epimerization of the cis-isomer to the thermodynamically downhill trans-isomer via a hypothesized pentavalent intermediate. Decalin is a classic example in the conformational analysis of organic ring systems, and the carbocyclic diastereomers have highly divergent conformational profiles. Like the carbocycle, we observe different conformational properties in cis- and trans-siladecalins with consequences for NMR spectroscopy, optical properties, and vibrational spectroscopy. This study showcases the utility of targeted synthesis for preparing complex and functionalized polycyclic silanes.

Trisilane-1,3-diolato Complexes of Ti and Zr: Syntheses and X-ray Crystal Structures

The syntheses and structures of zirconium and titanium complexes containing the novel chelating trisilane-1,3-diolate ligand [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]2- (R = SiMe3) (5)-H2 are reported. The chloride complexes [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]TiCl2 (7a) and [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]ZrCl2 x 2 THF (7b) were prepared by the reaction of MCl4 (M = Ti, Zr) with [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]2Ti (6a) and [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]2Zr (6b), which are derived from the reaction of 5 with M(NEt2)4, respectively. In the presence of TiCl4, complexes 6a and 7a undergo a ring-opening reaction to produce the dinuclear complex [Me2Si(R2SiO)2][TiCl3]2 (9). [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]TiMe2 (10) and [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]TiBnz2 (11) were prepared in moderate yields from reactions of 7a with 2 equiv of MeMgBr and BnzMgCl, respectively. According to NMR spectroscopic investigations, the reaction of the dimethyltitanium complex 10 with B(C6F5)3 led to full exchange of both methyl groups by C6F5 groups under quantitative formation of [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]Ti(C6F5)2 (12) and a mixture of B(C6F5)(3-n)Me(n), where n = 1-3. The structure of 12 is further evidenced by the preparation of an identical sample from the reaction of 7a with 2 equiv of C6F5MgBr. Refluxing an ether solution of 12 surprisingly gave [Me2Si(R2SiO)2]2TiC6F5]2O (13) as a result of ether cleavage. The structures of the complexes 7a, 7b, 9, 10, and 13 were determined by X-ray crystallography, and structural discussion of the bond parameters will be given.