Stepwise synthesis of a stable diphosphasilirane and its unexpected dimerization†
Abstract
The synthesis of the thermally stable bicyclic diphosphasilirane O(SiiPr2P)2SiiPr2 (4) was achieved via oxidation of the alkaline earth metal substituted cyclic diphosphanide 3 with 1,2-dibromoethane. Nonetheless, during extended storage at low temperature, impurity induced rearrangement in favour of the dimeric species [O(SiiPr2P)2SiiPr2]2 (5) is observed.