SILYL TRIFLATES - VALUABLE MATERIALS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF ORGANOSILICON OLIGOMERS AND POLYMERS

The highly reactive silyl triflates R4-nSi(OSO2CF3)(n) are valuable ma terials in organosilicon chemistry. Numerous new triflate derivatives of mono-, oligo- and polysilanes were prepared by stepwise substitutio n of trifluoromethanesulfonyl groups for phenyl groups or other leavin g groups. Conversions of silyl triflates with nucleophiles proceed reg ioselectively and, in most cases, quantitatively at low temperatures w ith short reaction times. Therefore, silyl triflates are suitable reag ents for the synthesis and functionalization of linear and cyclic olig osilanes. Novel polycarbosilanes, polysilylalkynes and polysilylphenyl enes, which show a regular alternating arrangement of silylene groups and organic units, were prepared from lpha,omega-bis[(trifluoromethyl) sulfonyloxysilyl]- substituted compounds and dinucleophiles. Branched polysilanes and polysilynes were obtained by reductive coupling of pol ymeric silyl triflates with potassium-graphite. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.