title: Conversion of a zinc disilazide to a zinc hydride mediated by LiCl.
abstract: An unusual beta-elimination reaction involving zinc(II) and LiCl is reported. LiCl and a coordinatively saturated disilazido zinc compound form an adduct that contains activated SiH moieties. In THF/toluene mixtures, this adduct is transformed into a zinc hydride and 0.5 equiv. cyclodisilazane. The Li(+) and Cl(-) ions apparently affect the reaction pathway of the disilazido zinc in a synergistic fashion. Thus, the zinc hydride and cyclodisilazane products of formal beta-elimination are not observed upon treatment of the zinc disilazide with Cl(-) or Li(+) separately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and U.S. Department of Energy Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.
authors.forename: Debabrata
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Arkady
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ellern
authors.forename: Aaron D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sadow