Triethoxysilane HSi(OEt)3, tetraethoxysilane Si(OEt)4 and hexaethoxydisiloxane Si2O(OEt)6 have been probed as reagents for the synthesis of hydrogen-rich silyl-arenes Ar(SiH3)n. A large set of new silyl-arenes, varying in their substitution patterns and grades, have been prepared. The results establish the two new silylating agents HSi(OEt)3 and Si2O(OEt)6 as particularly useful alternatives to Si(OEt)4. The products, which include trihydrosilyl-substituted methylbenzenes, naphthalenes and ferrocenes, have been characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray diffraction.
A novel route to tetraethoxysilane and other silicon alkoxides is described, from amorphous silica (SiO2.nH2O) as the raw material. The reaction of amorphous silica with triethanolamine is enhanced by using an alkali metal hydroxide catalyst, to form a range of triethanolamine-substituted silatrane species. These can undergo alkoxide exchange in acidic alcohols to form alkoxysilatranes, tetraalkoxysilanes, hexaalkoxydisiloxanes and higher siloxanes. Reaction of triethanolamine-substituted silatranes with acetic anhydride produces acetoxysilatrane. Products were identified by multinuclear (1H, 13C and 29Si) magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electrospray mass spectrometry or high-resolution gas chromatography electron impact mass spectrometry.