The effects controlling the oxygen basicity in alkoxysilanes (RO)nSi(CH3)4-n. The mutual polarizability effect of alkoxy groups attached to silicon

Abstract

Relative basicity of the oxygen in alkoxysilanes (RO)nSi(CH3)3-n having n = 1-4 and various electrondonating and electronwithdrawing groups R measured as Δν(OH) of phenol due to its interaction with these compounds in CCl4 is shown to be chiefly controlled by the electronic effect of substituents R. Linear regression analysis of the Δν(OH) vs n relatioship for individual series (RO)nSi(CH3)4-n suggests the operation of the polarizability effect of RO groups becoming more important with increasing electronwithdrawing nature of R.