N,N-Bis(halomethyldimethylsilyl)acetamides and their reactions

N,N-Bis(halomethyldimethydimethylsilyl)acetamides, MeCON(SiMe₂CH₂X)₂, (X = Cl, Br) were prepared by transsilylation of N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide with halomethyldimethylchlorosilane. With water and methanol, instead of the expected SiN cleavage, nucleophilic substitution of halogen took place and the products were 1-acetyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyldisilamorpholine and N,N-bismethoxymethyldimethylsilyl)acetamide respectively. These compounds were shown by IR and ¹H NMR spectra to have the N,N-disilylacetamide structure. Thermodynamic, kinetic constants of hindered rotation around the CN bond in these compounds were determined from their temperature-variable ¹H NMR spectra. The main products of thermolysis of the silylamides are α,ω-dichloropolydimethylsiloxanes and polydimethylcyclosiloxanes.