Syntheses and crystal structures of 2-methyl-1,1,2,3,3-pentaphenyl-2-silapropane and 2-methyl-1,1,3,3-tetraphenyl-2-silapropan-2-ol

Abstract

The sterically hindered silicon compound 2-methyl-1,1,2,3,3-pentaphenyl-2-silapropane, C33H30Si (I), was prepared via the reaction of two equivalents of diphenylmethyllithium (benzhydryllithium) and dichloromethylphenylsilane. This bisbenzhydryl-substituted silicon compound was then reacted with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, followed by hydrolysis with water to give the silanol 2-methyl-1,1,3,3-tetraphenyl-2-silapropan-2-ol, C27H26OSi (II). Key geometric features for I are the Si—C bond lengths that range from 1.867 (2) to 1.914 (2) Å and a τ4 descriptor for fourfold coordination around the Si atom of 0.97 (indicating a nearly perfect tetrahedron). Key geometric features for compound II include Si—C bond lengths that range from 1.835 (4) to 1.905 (3) Å, a Si—O bond length of 1.665 (3) Å, and a τ4 descriptor for fourfold coordination around the Si atom of 0.96. In compound II, there is an intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond present. In the crystal of I, molecules are linked by two pairs of C—H...π interactions, forming dimers that are linked into ribbons propagating along the b-axis direction. In the crystal of II, molecules are linked by C—H...π and O—H...π interactions that result in the formation of ribbons that run along the a-axis direction.