1,8-DISILYLNAPHTHALENE

For the preparation. of the title compound, 1,8-diiodonaphthalene was treated with p-anisylchlorosilane and magnesium to give 1,8-bis(p-anis ylsilyl)naphthalene (1). The reaction of compound 1 with 2 equiv. of t riflic acid affords 8-bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)silyl]naphthalene, which can. be reduced to 1,8-disilylnaphthadene (2) with lithium alum inum hydride. The crystal structures of compounds 1 and 2 have been de termined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The C10Si2 skeleton. in 2 is planar, but there are severe in-plane outward bendings of the two silyl groups. In compound 1, along with a similar but smaller bending of the silyl groups, there is also a tilting by 7 degrees of the true benzene rings of naphthalene.