Interconversion between a silaimine and an aminosilylene supported by an iminophosphonamide ligand

The reaction of a chlorosilylene, supported by an iminophosphonamide ligand, with KN(SiMe3)(2) resulted in the formation of a silaimine instead of the expected aminosilylene. However, this silaimine exists in equilibrium with the corresponding aminosilylene, which was experimentally demonstrated using variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy and a trapping reaction with elemental selenium to give a silaselenourea.

Automated summary

In this study, the reaction of a chlorosilylene with KN(SiMe3)(2) resulted in the formation of a silaimine instead of an aminosilylene. However, it was demonstrated that the silaimine exists in equilibrium with the corresponding aminosilylene through experimental methods such as variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy and trapping reactions with elemental selenium.