Reaction of an alkyne with dinickel-diphenylsilyl complexes. An emissive disilane formed via the consecutive Si-C and Si-Si bond-making processes

Abstract

[{Ni(dmpe)}(2)(μ-SiHPh(2))(2)] (dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane) reacted with PhC≡CPh to yield fluorescent 1,2-bis{(E)-1,2-diphenylethenyl}-1,1,2,2-tetraphenyldisilane via addition of the Si-H bond of the ligand to the alkyne and subsequent coupling of the tertiary silyl ligands forming the Si-Si bond.