Reactions of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane with dicobalt octacarbonyl and iron pentacarbonyl. Thermal decomposition of the cobalt and iron carbonyl silazane complexes

The reaction of (HMe2Si)2NH with Co2(CO)8 gives the complex [Co2(CO)7(SiMe2)2NH2]+[Co(CO)4]−. Its thermal decomposition starts with dissociation into the “acid” HCo(CO)4 and the “base” Co2(CO)7(SiMe2)2NH. After that, the base and the initial complex decompose further under the action of HCo(CO)4. The final products of this reaction are CO, NH3, Co, volatile dimethylcyclosilazane, and a solid residue consisting of cobalt particles encapsulated into a polymethylsiloxane matrix and possessing properties of mixed para- and ferromagnetics with an ultimate specific magnetization of 64–74 G g−1. Tetramethyldisilazane reacts with iron pentacarbonyl under UV irradiation to give relatively stable 1,3-bis(tetracarbonylthydrideiron)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane. This product contains Fe−H…N hydrogen bonds, which stabilize it against dehydrogenation and cyclization to diironcyclodisilazane. Thermal decomposition of this product was investigated.