Donor-Stabilized Silacyclobutanone: A Precursor of 1-Silaketene via Retro-[2 + 2]-Cycloaddition Reaction at Room Temperature

Abstract : The synthesis of donor-stabilized silacyclo-butanone 2 was successfully realized by the reaction of silacyclopropylidene 1 with benzaldehyde in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. Of particular interest, silacyclobutanone 2 evolves at room temperature via a retro-[2 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction, leading to an original NHC-stabilized 1-silaketene 4 and cis-stilbene.