Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a soluble zinc silicate polyhedron, [(Me2NC6H4NMe2)ZnLi{O3Si(Me3Si)N(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)}]4

The reaction between a mixture of Me2Zn and MeLi with RSi(OH)3 (R = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3NSiMe3) in the presence of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1-4,phenylenediamine in THF/hexane leads to the formation of compound (LZnLiO3SiR)4(L = Me2NC6H4NMe2, R = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3NSiMe3), 1. The molecular structure of compound 1 shows a central planar eight-membered Li4O4 ring, which is sandwiched between two puckered eight-membered Zn2Si2O4 rings. The periphery of the central Li4Zn4Si4O12 polyhedron is surrounded by hydrophobic groups, explaining the high solubility of 1 in common organic solvents. This is the first molecular zinc siloxane compound characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.