Reaction of carboxylic acids with tetrachlorosilane

Tetrachlorosilane reacted with carboxylic acids RCOOH (R = Me, Bu, t-Bu) to give the corresponding acid chlorides RCOCl in 75–95% yield. The reactions of SiCl₄ with trichloroacetic and 2-fluorobenzoic acids (R = Cl₃C, 2-FC₆H₄) occurred more difficultly, presumably for steric reasons, and the yields of the corresponding acid chlorides were 11 and 22%, respectively. Tetrachlorosilane failed to react with stearic acid under analogous conditions. Products of the reactions of SiCl₄ with chloroacetic and benzoic acids RCOOH (R = ClCH₂, Ph) were tetraacyloxysilanes Si(OCOR)₄, and tetrakis(chloroacetoxy)silane was formed in almost quantitative yield. The reaction of SiCl₄ with glutaric acid led to the formation of a rubber-like polymeric material with the composition C₅H₆Cl₂O₄Si. The effect of pKa values of carboxylic acids on the direction and mechanism of the examined reaction is discussed.