The synthesis and structural characterization of silyl-substituted fluorenes

Three silyl-substituted fluorenes have been prepared by direct synthetic methods and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The three silyl-substituted fluorenes studied were 9-trimethylsilylfluorene (1), 9-(tert-butyldimethyl)silylfluorene (2), and 2,7-di-tert-butyl-9-trimethylsilylfluorene (3). Complex 1 is orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, a = 6.2681(14) Å, b = 14.329(3) Å, c = 15.231(4) Å, Z = 4. Complex 2 is monoclinic, P2₁/c, a = 12.1953(10) Å, b = 6.9977(6) Å, c = 19.6536(17) Å, = 93.818(2), Z = 4. Complex 3 is monoclinic, P2₁/c, a = 11.9954(9) Å, b = 9.8978(7) Å, c = 18.5464(13) Å, = 92.456(2), Z = 4. The long carbon–silicon bonds effectively remove any significant intramolecular interactions as little distortion is exhibited around the sp ³-carbon atom and the fluorenyl backbone demonstrates near planarity. The bulky silicon substituents also prevent intermolecular interactions, as only a few close contacts less than 4.0 Å exist in all three solid state structures.