Silyl and germyl derivatives of selenophenol and related species

Abstract

The silyl and germyl derivatives of selenophenol, SiH₃(SePh), GeH₃(SePh) and SiH₂(SePh)₂, and the methylated analogues MMe_nH_3–n(SePh)(M = Si, n= 2 or 3; M = Ge, n= 1–3; M = Sn, n= 3) have been prepared and characterized. The comparative synthetic routes include reactions of halides with lithium benzeneselenolate, lithium tetra(phenylseleno) aluminate, and trimethyl(phenylseleno)silane, and also of selenophenol with bisgermylcarbodi-imides. The spectroscopic properties of these species are reported and discussed. The seleno-boranes, B(SePh)₃ and B(SeMe)₃, -phosphine, P(SePh)₃, and -arsine, As(SePh)₃, are formed by reactions of the corresponding chlorides with SiMe₃(SePh) and SiMe₃(SeMe). Reduction of B(SePh)₃ by trimethylsilane is quantitative but a similar reaction with monosilane does not occur.