Directed Gas Phase Formation of Silene (H2SiCH2)

The silene molecule (H₂SiCH₂; X¹A₁) has been synthesized under single collision conditions via the bimolecular gas phase reaction of ground state methylidyne radicals (CH) with silane (SiH₄). Exploiting crossed molecular beams experiments augmented by high-level electronic structure calculations, the elementary reaction commenced on the doublet surface through a barrierless insertion of the methylidyne radical into a silicon-hydrogen bond forming the silylmethyl (CH₂SiH₃; X²A′) complex followed by hydrogen migration to the methylsilyl radical (SiH₂CH₃; X²A′). Both silylmethyl and methylsilyl intermediates undergo unimolecular hydrogen loss to silene (H₂SiCH₂; X¹A₁). The exploration of the elementary reaction of methylidyne with silane delivers a unique view at the widely uncharted reaction dynamics and isomerization processes of the carbon–silicon system in the gas phase, which are noticeably different from those of the isovalent carbon system thus contributing to our knowledge on carbon silicon bond couplings at the molecular level.     

Silenes as novel synthetic reagents: synthesis of diols and lactones from simple alkyldienes

Aryl substituted silenes can be generated by a modified Peterson olefination reaction and trapped in situ to afford silacycles with high diastereoselectivity. These silacycles can be elaborated by ‘Fleming-Tamao’ type oxidation to provide access to functionalized diols and lactones.     

硅乙烯异构化反应的理论研究——从头算水平上的热力学、动力学分析

据报道,含硅碳双键的化合物已能制备,但它在通常条件下不稳定,易于发生加成、异构化反应,研究最多的两个异构化反应是:     

Heteroorganic betaines. 6. Structure and reactivity of silicon-containing organophosphorus betaines with the –S—Si—C—P+ fragment: a DFT study

The structures of silicon-containing organophosphorus betaines ^–S—SiR¹ ₂—CR² ₂—P⁺R³ ₃ and their ylide isomers were calculated using the density functional approach with the gradient-corrected PBE functional and extended TZ2P basis set. Three possible pathways of thermal decomposition of these betaines were analyzed. These are (i) cleavage of the central C—Si bond with the formation of a Wittig ylide and silanethione, (ii) intramolecular nucleophilic S _N-substitution with elimination of phosphine PR³ ₃ and the formation of silathiirane (the Corey—Chaikovscky transformation), and (iii) a Wittig-type decomposition followed by the formation of substituted silaethylene.The structures of products and transition states of these reactions were calculated. The cis-gauche conformation of the ^–S—Si—C—P⁺ fragment of betaines was found to be the most stable. This is in agreement with the results of X-ray diffraction study and can be rationalized by strong Coulomb attraction between the cationic and anionic centers. The betaines are stable toward retro-Wittig thermal decomposition. The Corey—Chaikovscky formation of thiirane is preferable under conditions of thermal decomposition. Retro-Wittig-type decomposition of betaines followed by the formation of silanethione is favored by intra- and intermolecular coordination of donor ligands.     

Stereoselective Activation of Small Molecules by a Stable Chiral Silene

The reaction of the dilithium salt of the enantiopure (S)-BINOL (1,1’-bi-2-naphthol) with two equivalents of the amidinate-stabilized chlorosilylene [L^PhSiCl] (L^Ph=PhC(NtBu)₂) led to the formation of the first example of a chiral cyclic silene species comprising an (S)-BINOL ligand. The reactivity of the Si=C bond was investigated by reaction with elemental sulfur, CO₂ and HCl. The reaction with S₈ led to a Si=C bond cleavage and concomitantly to a ring-opened product with imine and silanethione functional groups. The reaction with CO₂ resulted in the cleavage of the CO₂ molecule into a carbonyl group and an isolated O atom, while a new stereocenter is formed in a highly selective manner. According to DFT calculations, the [2+2] cycloaddition product is the key intermediate. Further reactivity studies of the chiral cyclic silene with HCl resulted in a stereoselective addition to the Si=C bond, while the fully selective formation of two stereocenters was achieved. The quantitative stereoselective addition of CO₂ and HCl to a Si=C bond is unprecedented.