The molecular structures of tetra(amino)silanes

Gerald Huber, Annette Schier, Hubert Schmidbaur

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a search for crystalline homoleptic tetra(amino)silanes with (mirror)-symmetrical NR2 substituents, tetrakis(1-pyrrolidinyl)silane (1) was prepared by an improved synthetic route, and tetrakis(morpholino)silane (2) was synthesized from SiBr4 and morpholine/Li-morpholide via the intermediate BrSi[N(CH2CH2)2O]3 (4). With SiCl4 only the monochloro stage, 3, is reached. Tetrakis(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)silane (5) was prepared similarly, using 4-methylpiperazine. With (CH2)6NH or (CH2)6NLi and SiBr4 only [(CH2)6N]3SiBr (6) was obtained. The structures of 1, 2 and 5 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. While compound 1 has an irregular molecular geometry following no symmetrical pattern, molecules of 2 and 5 have similar structures with almost superimposable Si(NC2)4 cores of approximate D2d symmetry. The overall molecular symmetry of 2 is reduced only by incongruous folding of the heterocycles, which are all in a chair conformation. The core structures of 2 and 5 are in excellent agreement with the results of density function calculations for Si(NH2)4. Si(NMe2)4 (the crystal structure of which could not be determined) was converted into (Me2N)3SiOSO2CF3 (7) by treatment with two equivalents of triflic acid. Reaction of 7 with 1-naphthylamine/triethylamine affords (Me2N)3SiNHC9H7 (8). With 2,4-difluoroaniline/NEt3 the analogous derivative (Me2N)3SiNHC6H3F2 (9) is obtained, but with 4-bromoaniline the product is a silane with the ligands redistributed to give (Me2N)2Si(NHC6H4Br)2 (10), the structure of which was also determined. It has a non-standard geometry with very flat nitrogen pyramids at all four substituents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1167-1174
Number of pages8
JournalChemische Berichte
Volume130
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Aminosilanes
  • Configuration determination
  • Conformation analysis
  • Molecular conformation
  • Nitrogen
  • Silicon
  • Tetra(amino)silanes

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