Synthesis of four-membered bissilylene-linked bisamidines

Reaction of dilithium derivatives of N,N’-(dimethylsilanediyl)diamines, Me2Si[N(Li)R]2 with benzonitrile followed by treatment with Me2SiCl2 afforded 1,3-bis[1-(N-R-imino)-1-phenylmethyl]-1,3,2,4-diazadisiletidines, the neutral four-membered bissilylene-linked bisamidines, whose structure was established by X-ray diffraction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]