Tetra(alky
lamino)silanes Si(NHR)
4 withR = Me,
n-Pr,
n-Bu, and
i-Pr(
1a-d) have been prepared viaimprovedmethods and characterized by complementary analytical and spectroscopicdata. The reaction of
1a-c with2equiv of Tf-SiH
2SiH
2-Tf (Tf =trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy, "triflate") and triethy
lamine intoluene gives goodyields of the spirocyclic compounds[(SiH
2NR)
2]
2Si(
2a-c).
2a isobtained as a crystalline, but highly volatile,product (mp 35
C, bp
0.05 46-47
C), the crystal andmolecular structure of which has been determined bysingle-crystal X-ray diffraction methods (monoclinic, space group
P2
1/
n,
Z = 8). Thelattice contains twoindependent molecules in the asymmetric unit, which have very similardimensions. The two five-memberedrings are almost planar and close to perpendicular to each other.Owing to sterical hindrance, the analogousreaction of
1d gives only low yields of the correspondingspirocycle{[SiH
2N(
i-Pr)]
2}
2Si,
2d. A sily
lammoniumsalt{[SiH
2N(i-Pr)]
2Si-[NH(
i-Pr)]-[NH
2(
i-Pr)]}
+Tf
-(
3) is produced as a major product. Compound
3 is one ofthe very few sily
lammonium salts as confirmed by a full structuralanalysis (monoclinic, space group
P2
1/
c,
Z =4). In the crystal, 2 equiv are grouped together as acentrosymmetrical cluster of two cations and two anionswith hydrogen bonds between the amino/ammonio and the sulfonate groups.Equimolar quantities of
1d and the1,2-disilanediylbis(triflate) in the presence of NEt
3give good yields of the monocyclic compound[SiH
2N(
i-Pr)]
2Si[NH(
i-Pr)]
2,
4.Compounds
1a-d and
2a-c are hydrogen- and silicon-richprecursor molecules for the productionof silicon nitride in pyrolytic, plasma- or laser-induced (thermal)decomposition and for the preparation of silazanenetworks and gels by controlled aminolysis or by metathesis of theSi-Si bonds.