The acid promoted rearrangement of 1-hydroxyalkyl-tris(trimethylsilyl) silanes into bis(trimethylsilyl)-1-trimethylsilylalkylsilanols: Generation of a transient silylium ion
In the presence of strong acids, 1-hydroxyalkyl-tris(trimethylsilyl)silanes (1a-c) undergo a rearrangement under formation of bis(trimethylsilyl)-1-trimethylsilylalkylsilanols (4a-c). The conversion is interpreted is proceeding through a silylium ion intermediate, which can be trapped with methanol or hydrofluoric acid to give the methoxysilane 5 or the fluorosilane 6 respectively.