Conversion of a singlet silylene to a stable biradical

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.201204487

Silicon becomes colored: Stable biradicals were prepared from an N-heterocyclic carbene stabilized SiCl₂ and a cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene, and characterized as two polymorphs. The deep-blue crystals of one polymorph are stable upon exposure to air for about a week, while the solution in THF decomposes rapidly when exposed to air. In a side reaction, the different carbene species react with each other under C-H activation and C-C bond formation in the presence of the biradical. Copyright