Nickel-assisted complete cleavage of CO by a silylene/siliconoid hybrid under formation of an SiC enol ether bridge

Abstract

Reaction of a silylene-functionalized Si₆ siliconoid with CO in the presence of catalytic quantities of a nickel(0) complex results in the complete cleavage of the CO triple bond, but preserves the Si₆ scaffold with an exohedrally incorporated SiC enol ether bridge. The uncompromised cluster core emphasizes the role of the so-called benzpolarene motif as the energetic silicon pendants of benzene in carbon chemistry.