An Investigation of the Di-Grignard Approach to Metallabenzocyclobutenes of Group 14

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(87)80301-7

The reactions of 1,2-dihydro-1-magnesabenzocyclobutane (5) with dichlorodimethylsilane (12a), dichloromethylgermane (12b) and dichloromethylstannane (12C) are reported; 1,2-dihydro-1,1-dimethyl-1-silabenzocyclobutene (14a) and 1,2-dihydro-1,1-dimethyl-1-germabenzocyclobutene (14b) were formed in high yields, but the tin analogue was not obtained.Eight-membered ring species, the dimers 17 and 18, were isolated for all three metals.Other products gave useful indications of the probable course of these interesting and complex reactions.