Organometallic Compounds: 26. Halogen cleavage of group IV B Hexaalkyldimetals: A Kinetic Study

Abstract

Iodine cleavage of the metal-metal bond in hexasubstituted dimetals of the fourth group has been studied kinetically. The reactivities of disiliciums, digermaniums, ditins and mixed dimetals are discussed in function of the substituents and of the metals involved in the metal-metal bond.Only a few kinetic studies have been devoted to the cleavage of metal-metal bonds M-M' by electrophiles (M and M' being metal atoms of the IV B group:The determination of the reactivity of a larger series of such dimetals with respect to a given halogen in similar experimental conditions might be usefull to throw some light on the mechanism of these reactions.The sto'ichiometry of these reactions R,M-M'R; + X, = R3MX + RiM'X is known, but we have checked [6] that this is the only reaction and that no trace of alkyl halide RX or R'X is found in the reaction medium. IODODEMATALLATION OF HEXAAKYLDISILICIUMS IN CHLOROBENZENEHexamethyl-and hexaethyldisilicium react with iodine in chlorobenzene following a clean second-order reaction [6]