Journal of Molecular Catalysis A-Chemical, Vol.160, No.1, 173-179, 2000
Synthesis of sigma-pi conjugated oligo(silylene-vinylene)s by metathesis of divinylsilanes over Re2O7-Al2O3 catalyst
Tetravinylsilane and divinylsilanes have been successfully metathesized over Re2O7/Al2O3 catalyst promoted with tetra-n-butyltin (SnBu4) under very mild reaction conditions. The addition of SnBu4 is essential to the acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET). A series of new oligo(silylenevinylene)s with sigma-pi conjugation has been produced. Grubbs, Schrock catalysts and WCl6-SnMe4 were, however, inactive for the ADMET. All of the products were acyclic oligomers and the cyclic products were not formed. The reactivity of divinylsilanes is attributed to the bulkiness of substituent at silicon atom and the existence of silicon atom instead of carbon atom decreases the reactivity greatly.
Keywords:tetravinylsilane;vinylsilanes;metathesis;acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET);silylene-vinylene;rhenia-alumina catalyst (Re2O7/Al2O3 catalyst);sigma-pi conjugated oligo(silylenevinylene)s