Cyclization of di(tert-butyl-methyl)ketazine to 1,2-diaza-3-bora- and 1,2-diaza-3-sila-cyclopent-5-enes

The results of quantum chemical calculations on lithium ketazides suggest mainly four isomeric structures with different modes of lithium coordination (A-D). A monolithium ketazide thf-adduct (1) was isolated supporting the results of the quantum chemical calculations. In reactions of the lithiated di(tert-butyl-methyl)ketazine with BCl3 and Cl2BPh, 1,2-aza-azonia-3-borata-cyclopent-5-enes (2,3) were isolated. Substitution of a chlorine atom of 2 and 3 with t-BuLi leads to the formation of derivatives 4 and 5. HCl elimination from 2 with Et3N gives - via a diazaboracyclopentene (6) - a bicyclus 7. In the reaction of the dilithiated ketazine with F2BN(SiMC3)(2), the diaza-boracyclopentene 8 is obtained while with Cl4Si, F3SiN(SiMe3)(2), and Cl2SiMe2 the diazasilacyclopentenes 9 - 11 are generated. SiF4 reacts with the dilithium ketazide to give a spirocyclus (12). The monolithium ketazide and Cl2SiMe2 react at 30 degrees C to give a four-membered ring isomer of the substitution product which is formed via a 1,3-chlorine shift from silicon to carbon (13). A tetrameric silanolate was isolated as a by-product in this reaction. It gives evidence for the structure of lithium ketazide A. Crystal structures of 5, 7, 10, and 14 are reported.