Disilenes, oxidation with molecular oxygen

Absolute kinetic data have been reported for four of the characteristic bimolecular reactions of disilenes 1,2-addition of alcohols and phenols (equation 72), [2 + 2]-cycloaddition of ketones (equation 73), [2 +4]-cycloaddition of aliphatic dienes (equation 74) and oxidation with molecular oxygen (equation 75). As with silenes, the addition of alcohols has been studied in greatest detail. 

C. Disiladioxetanes Oxidation of Disilenes with Molecular Oxygen. 819... 

While many examples of carbene oxidations have been reported, only four papers on the reaction of silylenes 1 with molecular oxygen have been published. The limited number of experimental studies on the oxygenation of silylenes is mainly due to the lack of suitable precursors.The photolysis of matrix-isolated trisilanes produces silylenes in close proximity to disilenes or other products of the precursor decomposition rather than matrix-isolated silylenes.Gas-phase thermolysis of disilanes and other thermal precursors requires very high temperatures, while the photolysis of diazidosilanes requires short-wavelength UV irradiation. In all of these cases, the yields of silylenes are rather poor. 

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