Silyl‐functionalized Silsesquioxanes: New Building Blocks for Larger Si‐O‐Assemblies,including the First Si‐Si‐Bonded Silsesquioxanes

Novel silyl‐functionalized silsesquioxane building blocks have been prepared by treatment of Cy₇Si₇O₉(OH)₃ ( 1 , Cy = c‐C₆H₁₁) with hexachlorodisilane or hexachlorodisiloxane, respectively, in the presence of triethylamine. Reactions in a 1:1 molar ratio afforded the trichlorosilyl‐functionalized silsesquioxane derivatives Cy₇Si₈O₁₂SiCl₃ ( 2 ) and Cy₇Si₈O₁₂OSiCl₃ ( 3 ). Related bis(silsesquioxanes), (Cy₇Si₈O₁₂)₂ ( 4 ) and (Cy₇Si₈O₁₂)₂O ( 5 ) are accessible in a similar manner by employing a 2:1 molar ratio of the reactands. Compound 1 also served as a starting material in the preparation of the partially closed silsesquioxane cages Cy₇Si₇O₁₁(OH)SiMe₂ ( 6 ) and Cy₇Si₇O₁₁(OH)Si(OEt)₂ ( 7 ), while the related condensation product Cy₇Si₇O₁₀(OSiMe₃) ( 9 ) was made by AlCl₃‐catalyzed elimination of water from Cy₇Si₇O₉(OH)₂OSiMe₃ ( 8 ). The molecular structure of 9 was determined by X‐ray diffraction.