Stabilization of Reactive Nitrene by Silylenes without Using a Reducing Metal

Abstract

Herein, we report the stabilization of nitrene reagents as the source of a nitrogen atom to synthesize nitrogen incorporated R 1 LSi-N←SiLR 2 ( 1 ) [L= PhC(N t Bu) 2 ; R 1 = NTMS 2 , R 2 = NTMS]. Compound 1 is synthesized by reacting LSi(I)–Si(I)L with 3.1 equivalents of Me 3 SiN 3 at low temperature to afford a triene-like structural framework. Whereas the reaction of the LSi(I)–Si(I)L with 2.1 equivalents of Me 3 SiN 3 at room temperature produced silaimine 2 with a central four-membered Si 2 N 2 ring which is accompanied by a silylene LSi and a cleaved silylene fragment. 1 further reacts with AgOTf at room temperature to yield compound 3 which shows coordination of nitrene to silver with the triflate salt. The compounds 1 and 2 were fully characterized by NMR, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The quantum mechanical calculations reveal that compounds 1 and 2 have dicoordinated monovalent N atoms having two active lone pairs of electrons. These lone pairs are stabilized by hyperconjugative interactions.