Stable Push-Pull Disilene: Substantial Donor-Acceptor Interactions through the Si=Si Double Bond

The push-pull effect has been widely used to effectively tune pi-electron systems. Herein, we report the synthesis and properties of 1-amino-2-boryldisilene 1 as the first push-pull disilene. Its spectroscopic and structural features show substantial interactions between the Si = Si double bond and the amino and boryl substituents. The pi -> pi* absorption band of 1 is remarkably red-shifted compared to that of the corresponding alkyl-substituted disilene 2. Treatment of 1 with H-2 resulted in the cleavage of two molecules of H-2 under concomitant formation of the corresponding trihydridodisilane and hydroborane.