title: A stable silicon(0) compound with a Si=Si double bond.
abstract: Dative, or nonoxidative, ligand coordination is common in transition metal complexes; however, this bonding motif is rare in compounds of main group elements in the formal oxidation state of zero. Here, we report that the potassium graphite reduction of the neutral hypervalent silicon-carbene complex L:SiCl4 {where L: is:C[N(2,6-Pri2-C6H3)CH]2 and Pri is isopropyl} produces L:(Cl)Si-Si(Cl):L, a carbene-stabilized bis-silylene, and L:Si=Si:L, a carbene-stabilized diatomic silicon molecule with the Si atoms in the formal oxidation state of zero. The Si-Si bond distance of 2.2294 +/- 0.0011 (standard deviation) angstroms in L:Si=Si:L is consistent with a Si=Si double bond. Complementary computational studies confirm the nature of the bonding in L:(Cl)Si-Si(Cl):L and L:Si=Si:L.
authors: Department of Chemistry and Center for Computational Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2556, USA.
authors: Yuzhong
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Yaoming
authors: Y
authors: Xie
authors: Pingrong
authors: P
authors: Wei
authors: R Bruce
authors: RB
authors: King
authors: Henry F
authors: HF
authors: Schaefer
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: von R Schleyer
authors: Gregory H
authors: GH
authors: Robinson