Hexachlorodisilane reacts with diarylmethanones (aryl = C6H5, 4-MeC6H4, 4-tBuC(6)H(4), 4-ClC6H4, 4-BrC6H4) to furnish the corresponding tetraarylethylenes in good yields. The reductive conversion requires temperatures of about 160 degrees C and reaction times of 60-72 h. In the initial step, the Lewis-basic carbonyl groups likely generate low-valent SiCl2 as an analogue of TiCl2 in the classical McMurry reaction. The coupling sequence further proceeds via benzopinacolones, which have been isolated as key intermediates.
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