Unexpected Synthesis of Oligomeric (Dimethylsilyl) -Bridged Ferrocenes from the Desilylative Coupling of Tertiary 1,1′-Bis(dimethylsilyl)ferrocene

The solvent-free, Pt-catalyzed desilylative coupling reaction of 1,1'-bis(dimethylsilyl)ferrocene (12) at elevated temperature leads to the elimination of one dimethylsilane unit and the concomitant oligomerization of ferrocenes with a single dimethylsilyl bridge in low to moderate yields. Air-and moisture-stable oils of the dimer (13) and trimer (14) species possessing dimethylsilyl bridges and terminal dimethyl-silane end groups have been isolated by preparative TLC and characterized by HR-MS, elemental analysis, and NMR spectroscopy.