The rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of silafluorenes from biphenylhydrosilanes is described. This highly efficient reaction proceeds via both Si-H and C-H bond activation, producing only H-2 as a side product. Using this method, a ladder-type bis-silicon-bridged p-terphenyl could also be synthesized.
Rhodium-Catalyzed Silylative and Germylative Cyclization with Dehydrogenation Leading to 9-Sila- and 9-Germafluorenes: A Combined Experimental and Computational Mechanistic Study
rate constant of dehydrogenative germylation was greater than that of dehydrogenative silylation. Competitive reactions in the presence of 3,3‐dimethyl‐1‐butene indicated that the ratio of dehydrogenative metalation and hydrometalation was affected by reaction temperature when a hydrosilane or hydrogermane precursor was used. Further mechanistic insights of oxidant‐free dehydrogenative silylation, including