title: Phosphide delivery to a cyclotrisilene.
abstract: The reactivity of the 2-phosphaethynolate anion (PCO(-)) towards a cyclic trisilene (cSi3(Tip)4) is reported. The result is the net activation of the P-C and Si-Si multiple bonds of the precursors affording a heteroatomic bicyclo[1.1.1]pentan-2-one analogue ([P(CO)Si3(Tip)4](-); 1). This reaction can be interpreted as the formal addition of a phosphide and a carbonyl across the Si-Si double bond. Photolytic decarbonylation of 1 results in the incorporation of the phosphide vertex into the cyclotrisilene scaffold, yielding a congener of the cyclobutene anion with considerable allylic character.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA (UK).
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cowley
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scheschkewitz
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goicoechea
keywords: 2-phosphaethynolate; main-group chemistry; multiple bonds; silenes; silicon