Synthesis and structures of o-(dihydrosilyl)(dimesitylboryl)benzenes

O-(Dihydrosilyl)(dimesitylboryl)benzenes 1 were prepared in 6 steps. o-Dibromobenzene was mono-lithiated with n-BuLi and reacted with chloro(dimethoxy)silanes to afford o-C(6)H(4)(Br)[SiR(OMe)(2)] (2) (R-Ph, Me). Bromine-lithium exchange between 2 and tert-BuLi produced o-C(6)H(4)(Li)[SiR(OMe)(2)] (3), which were reacted with fluoro(dimesityl)borane to give o-C(6)H(4)(BMes(2))[SiR(OMe)(2)] (4). Reduction of 4 with LiAlH(4) in THF yielded [o-C(6)H(4)(BMes(2)H)(SiRH(2))](-)Li(+)(thf)(n) (9). Treatment of 9 with BF(3)center dot OEt(2) afforded the target compounds 1. The structures of 1 were determined by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallographic analysis. (C) 2010 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.