A Disilane with a Hypercoordinate Silicon Atom: Coordination of an Imine Ligand versus Si−Si Bond Splitting

An imine−amine-substituted disilane (NN)MeSi−SiMe(ONO) [(NN) ≡ PhN(CH2)2NPh; (ONO) ≡ o-O-p-MeO−C6H3−C(Ph)N−C6H4-o-O] involving a penta- as well as a tetracoordinate silicon atom was synthesized. This ligand combination gives rise to a stable disilane with a hypercoordinate silicon atom by the imine donor action, while a 1,1-dichlorosilane (MeCl2Si)−SiMe(ONO) is not available due to Si−Si bond cleavage with formation of the pentacoordinate monosilane SiClMe(ONO).