SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND REACTIVITY OF A CHROMIUM TRICARBONYL COMPLEX OF PHENYLSILATRANE - MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF [C6H5SI(OCH2CH2)3N]CR(CO)3

Summary: The new compound [C6H5Si(OCH2CH2)3N]-Cr(CO)3 has been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR,1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. [C6H5Si(OCH2CH2)3N]Cr(CO)3 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca, with a = 12.078 (2) A, b = 12.347 (1) Â, c = 21.917 (3) Â, and Z — 8. The molecule possesses the usual silatrane skeleton containing a five-coordinated silicon atom. The N-Si distance (2.108 (5) Λ) is somewhat shorter than that in phenylsilatrane. This is the first case where the crystal structure of the silatrane derivative, which acts as a τ-coordinating ligand to transition metals, has been determined. This compound is a versatile starting material for a wide range of complexes, in particular for those of the general formula [CeH5Si(OCH2CH2)3N]Cr(CO)2L (L = PPh3, P(CH2CH2CN)3, and AsPh3) and |[C6H5SKOCH2CH2)3]Cr-(CO)2}2(m-L-L) (L-L = dppe). © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.