Alkylation of 4,5-dihydro-1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-imidazole-2-thiol with iodomethylsilanes and -siloxanes

The alkylation of 4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-2-thiol with 1-iodomethyl(dimethyl)phenylsilane, 1-(iodomethyl)-1,1,3,3,3-pentamethyldisiloxane, and 1,3-bis(iodomethyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane involved iodine-catalyzed cleavage of the Si–C_sp ² and Si–O bonds with liberated (in situ) hydrogen iodide to afford 2-({(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazolium-2-ylsulfanyl)methyl]-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxanylmethyl}sulfanyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazolium di- and tetraiodides. Replacement of iodide ion in the products by triiodide gives new organosilicon ionic liquids with several charged fragments.