title: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of 1,2-(1',1',2',2'-Tetramethyldisilane-1',2')carborane.
abstract: The novel strained compound 1,2-(1',1',2',2'-tetramethyldisilane-1',2')carborane (1) was synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-dilithiocarborane and dichlorotetramethyldisilane. Compound 1 was characterized by solution methods and its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In contrast to its organic analogue o-(disilanyl)phenylene, the reaction of 1 with ethanol leads to cleavage of a Si-C bond rather than a Si-Si bond. Similarly to other cyclic disilanes, exposure of a solution of 1 to oxygen leads to the insertion of an oxygen atom into the Si-Si bond. The structure of the oxygen inserted product was also determined by X-ray crystallography. The general chemistry and attempts at polymerizing 1 are briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Chemical Science and Technology Division, CST-11, Mail Stop J514, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, and United States Air Force Academy, Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840-6230.
authors.forename: Francis M.
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: de Rege
authors.forename: Jeremy D.
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kassebaum
authors.forename: Brian L.
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Kent D.
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Abney
authors.forename: Gary J.
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Balaich