Carbonylate anions, reaction with silicon halides

The intermediate metal hydride has been isolated on occasion for Co and Mn , and Eq. (b) has actually been used to prepare silicon-metal bonds (see 5.2.3.2.2.). Inspection of Table 1 reveals the ease of reaction of Co2(CO)g compared with the other carbonyls. Normally this reaction is performed simply by condensing volatile silane onto the carbonyl in the absence of solvent and then allowing rapid reaction in the liquid phase at room temperature, but for the remaining carbonyls it is necessary to use elevated temperatures and sealed, evacuated tubes. The products are volatile and readily purified by vacuum fractionation or sublimation, but are often oxygen and moisture sensitive. The route is most efficient for RjSi derivatives of Co, Mn and Re, which are not generally obtainable by the reactions of silicon halides with metal carbonyl anions (see S.8.3.3.I.). In this way lCo(SiR,)(CO -] = Et, Phj, Clj -, (OEt)j, F/, ... 

Although the mechanism of the Mukaiyama reaction is not yet fully understood, several points have now been firmly established (a) a Lewis acid enolate is not involved (b) the Lewis acid activates the carbonyl group for the nucleophilic addition and (c) the Si—O bond is cleaved by nucleophilic attack of the anionic species, generally halide, on silicon. Point (a) has been established by the use of INEPT- Si NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, trichlorotitanium enolates have been synthesized, characterized and shown to give a completely different stereochemical outcome than the TiCU-mediated reactions of silyl enol ethers. Complexes between Lewis acids and carbonyl compounds have been isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography and recently by NMR spectrometry. On the basis of these observations closed transition structures will not be considered here open transition structures with no intimate involvement between the silyl enol ether and the Lewis acid offer the best rationale for the after the fact interpretation of the stereochemical results and the best model for stereochemical predictions. 

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