Rhodium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Silafluorene Derivatives via Cleavage of Silicon-Hydrogen and Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds

The rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of silafluorenes from biphenylhydrosilanes is described. This highly efficient reaction proceeds via both Si-H and C-H bond activation, producing only H-2 as a side product. Using this method, a ladder-type bis-silicon-bridged p-terphenyl could also be synthesized.