Transition-Metal-Mediated Cleavage of a SiSi Double Bond.

Reaction of carbene-stabilized disilicon ( 1) with Fe(CO)₅ gives the 1:1 adduct L:SiSi[Fe(CO)₄]:L (L:=C{N(2,6-Pr ⁱ₂C₆H₃)CH}₂) ( 2) at room temperature. At raised temperature, however, 2 may react with another equivalent of Fe(CO)₅ to give L:Si[μ-Fe₂(CO)₆](μ-CO)Si:L ( 3) through insertion of both CO and Fe₂(CO)₆ into the Si₂ core, which represents the first experimental realization of transition metal-carbonyl-mediated cleavage of a SiSi double bond. The structures and bonding of both 2 and 3 have been investigated by spectroscopic, crystallographic, and computational methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]