A new way to Si-Si, Ge-Ge bonds and diisopropyldihalotellurides

Reactions of diisopropyltelluride (Me2CH)(2)Te (I) with various trimethylha lo-, dimethyldihalosilanes Me4-nSiXn (n = 1, 2; X = Cl, Br I) and triethylb romogermane BrGeEt3 have been investigated in air and in vacuum. Compound I reacts with trimethyliodosilane ISiMe3 already at room temperature in vacu um to form hexamethyldisilane Me3Si-SiMe3 and diisopropyldiiodotelluride (M e3CH)(2)TeI2. In air this reactions proceeds at a higher rate than in vacuu m, but leads to the formation of hexamethyldisiloxane (Me3Si)(2)O and diiso propyldihalogentellurides (Me2CH)(2)TeX2 as main products. The reaction of diisopropyltelluride (I) with dimethyldihalogensilanes X2SiMe2 (X = Cl, I) in vacuum leads to the corresponding diisopropyldihalogentellurides (Me2CH) (2)TeX2 and a complex mixture of the products of dehalogenation of dimethyl dihalogensilanes. The rate of dehalogenation considerably increases with th e atomic number of the halogen: Cl<Br much less than I. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience S.A. All rights reserved.