A DFT computational study of the bis-silylation reaction of acetylene catalyzed by palladium complexes

In this paper we have investigated at the DFT(B3LYP) level the catalytic cycle for the bis-silylation reaction of alkynes promoted by palladium complexes. A model-system formed by an acetylene molecule, a disilane molecule, and the Pd(PH(3))(2) complex has been used. The most relevant features of this catalytic cycle can be summarized as follows: (i) The first step of the cycle is an oxidative addition involving H(3)Si-SiH(3) and Pd(PH(3))(2). It occurs easily and leads to the cis (SiH(3))(2)Pd(PH(3))(2) complex that is 5.39 kcal mol(-1) lower in energy than reactants. (ii) The transfer of the two silyl groups to the C-C triple bond does not occur in a concerted way, but involves many steps. (iii) The cis (SiH(3))(2)Pd(PH(3))(2) complex, obtained from the oxidative addition, is involved in the formation of the first C-Si bond (activation barrier of 18.34 kcal mol(-1)). The two intermediates that form in this step cannot lead directly to the formation of the final bis(silyl)ethene product. However, they can isomerize rather easily (the two possible isomerizations have a barrier of 16.79 and 7.17 kcal mol(-1)) to new more stable species. In both these new intermediates the second silyl group is adjacent to the acetylene moiety and the formation of the second C-Si bond can occur rapidly leading to the (Z)-bis(silyl)ethene, as experimentally observed. (iv) The whole catalytic process is exothermic by 41.54 kcal mol(-1), in quite good agreement with the experimental estimate of this quantity (about 40 kcal mol(-1)).