A Stable Homoleptic Divinyl Tetrelene Series

Abstract

The synthesis of the new bulky vinyllithium reagent (^Me IPr=CH)Li, (^Me IPr=[(MeCNDipp)₂ C]; Dipp=2,6-iPr₂ C₆ H₃ ) is reported. This vinyllithium precursor was found to act as a general source of the anionic 2σ, 2π-electron donor ligand [^Me IPr=CH]^- . Furthermore, a high-yielding route to the degradation-resistant Si^II precursor ^Me IPr⋅SiBr₂ is presented. The efficacy of (^Me IPr=CH)Li in synthesis was demonstrated by the generation of a complete inorganic divinyltetrelene series (^Me IPrCH)₂ E: (E=Si to Pb). (^Me IPrCH)₂ Si: represents the first two-coordinate acyclic silylene not bound by heteroatom donors, with dual electrophilic and nucleophilic character at the Si^II center noted. Cyclic voltammetry shows this electron-rich silylene to be a potent reducing agent, rivalling the reducing power of the 19-electron complex cobaltocene (Cp₂ Co).