Trapping a Silicon(I) Radical with Carbenes: A Cationic cAAC–Silicon(I) Radical and an NHC–Parent-Silyliumylidene Cation

Yan Li, Yuk Chi Chan, Bi Xiang Leong, Yongxin Li, Emma Richards*, Indu Purushothaman, Susmita De, Pattiyil Parameswaran, Cheuk Wai So

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The trapping of a silicon(I) radical with N-heterocyclic carbenes is described. The reaction of the cyclic (alkyl)(amino) carbene [cAACMe] (cAACMe=:C(CMe2)2(CH2)NAr, Ar=2,6-iPr2C6H3) with H2SiI2 in a 3:1 molar ratio in DME afforded a mixture of the separated ion pair [(cAACMe)2Si:.]+I (1), which features a cationic cAAC–silicon(I) radical, and [cAACMe−H]+I. In addition, the reaction of the NHC–iodosilicon(I) dimer [IAr(I)Si:]2 (IAr=:C{N(Ar)CH}2) with 4 equiv of IMe (:C{N(Me)CMe}2), which proceeded through the formation of a silicon(I) radical intermediate, afforded [(IMe)2SiH]+I (2) comprising the first NHC–parent-silyliumylidene cation. Its further reaction with fluorobenzene afforded the CAr−H bond activation product [1-F-2-IMe-C6H4]+I (3). The isolation of 2 and 3 confirmed the reaction mechanism for the formation of 1. Compounds 1–3 were analyzed by EPR and NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and X-ray crystallography.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7573-7578
Number of pages6
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume56
Issue number26
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 19 2017
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Catalysis
  • General Chemistry

Keywords

  • carbenes
  • cations
  • low-valent homologues
  • radicals
  • silicon

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