Synthesis and characterization of dibenzannulated silole dianions. The 1,1-dilithiosilafluorene and 1,1 '-dilithiobis(silafluorene) dianions

Stirring of 1,1-dichloro-SiFl (1), (SiFl, silafluorene) in THF with excess lithium for 1 h gave a dark green solution of 1,1-dilithio-SiFl (2) in high yield. The dark red solution of the intermediate 1,1'-dilithio-(SiFl)(2) ( 3) was also observed from this reaction within 10 min. Treatment of 2 with excess trimethylchlorosilane gave the 1,1-bis(trimethylsilyl)-SiFl derivati ve (4) in 95% yield. Treatment of the dark red solution of 3 and 2 with exc ess methyliodide gave the 1,1'-dimethyl-bis(SiFl) (5) and 1,1-dimethyl-SiFl (6) derivatives in a 4.1 ratio. The upheld locations of the Si-29 resonanc es of dianions 2 and 3 (-1.09 ppm and -39.25 ppm, respectively) are consist ent with pi-electron localization on the silicon atoms. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.