title: Ring-opening protonolysis of sila[1]ferrocenophanes as a route to stabilized silylium ions.
abstract: The ring-opening reactions of a series of sila[1]ferrocenophanes with protic acids of anions with various degrees of noncoordinating character have been explored. Ferrocenyl-substituted silyl triflates FcSiMe2OTf (5 a) and Fc(3)SiOTf (5 b) (Fc=(eta5-C5H4)Fe(eta5-C5H5)) were synthesized by means of HOTf-induced ring-opening protonolysis of strained sila[1]ferrocenophanes fcSiMe2 (3 a) and fcSiFc2 (3 b) (fc=(eta5-C5H4)2Fe). Reaction of 3 a and 3 b with HBF4 yielded fluorosubstituted ferrocenylsilanes FcSiMe2F (6 a) and Fc3SiF (6 b) and suggested the intermediacy of a highly reactive silylium ion capable of abstracting F- from the [BF4]- ion. Generation of the solvated silylium ions [FcSiMe2THF]+ (7a+), [Fc3SiTHF]+ (7b+) and [FcSiiPr2OEt2]+ (7c+) at low temperatures, by reaction of the corresponding sila[1]ferrocenophanes (3 a, 3 b, and fcSiiPr2 (3 c), respectively) with H(OEt2)(S)TFPB (S=Et2O or THF; TFPB=tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate) was monitored by using low-temperature 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. In situ reaction of 7a+, 7b+, and 7c+ with excess pyridine generated [FcSiMe2py]+ (8a+), [Fc3Sipy]+ (8b+), and [FcSiiPr2py]+ (8c+), respectively, as observed by 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. A preparative-scale reaction of 3 b with H(OEt2)(THF)TFPB at -60 degrees C and subsequent addition of excess pyridine gave isolable red crystals of 8b-[TFPB]CHCl3, which were characterized by 1H and 29Si NMR spectroscopy as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Sara C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bourke
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maclachlan
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lough
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manners
mesh_terms: D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D000075163:Metallocenes; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011522:Protons; D012015:Reference Standards
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D000075163:Metallocenes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds; D011522:Protons; D007501:Iron; C004998:ferrocene