SILYL TRIFLATES - VALUABLE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS IN ORGANOSILICON CHEMISTRY

The highly reactive silyl triflates R(4-n)Si(OSO2CF3)(n) are valuable materials in organosilicon chemistry. Numerous new triflate derivative s of mono-, oligo-, and polysilanes were prepared by stepwise substitu tion of trifluoromethylsulfonyl groups for phenyl groups or other leav ing groups. Conversions of silyl triflates with nucleophiles proceed r egioselectively and, in most cases, quantitatively at low temperatures with short reaction times. Therefore, silyl triflates are suitable re agents for the synthesis and functionalization of linear and cyclic ol igosilanes. Novel polycarbosilanes, polysilylalkynes, and polysilylphe nylenes, which show a regular alternating arrangement of silylene grou ps and organic units, were prepared from lpha,omega-bis[(trifluorometh ylsulfonyloxy)silyl]- substituted compounds and dinucleophiles. Branch ed polysilanes and polysilynes were obtained by reductive coupling of polymeric silyl triflates with potassium-graphite.