Reactions of Tetramesityldisilene with Azides: Synthesis of Disilaaziridines.

Abstract The reactions of several organic azides (RN3) with tetramesityldisilene (1) were studied. Azides with R = Ph or Mes each gave two products, a disilaaziridine and a disilatriazoline. When R = PhCH2 or Me3SiCH2 intermediate adducts of the azide and the disilene were found. These adducts and the disilatriazolines both react thermally to yield the respective disilaaziridines. For R = Me3Si only a disilaaziridine was observed, the structure of which was determined by X-ray crystallography and was found to have a short SiSi internuclear distance of 2.23 A. Crystal data: R = trimethylsilyl, a 23.561(3), b 19.001(3), c 16.916(3) A, monoclinic, β = 106.095°, C2/c, Z = 8. Novel five-membered silicon heterocycles were isolated from the reactions of 1 with toluenesulfonyl azide and diphenylphosphonyl azide.