Synthesis of kinetically stabilized 1,2-dihydrodisilenes

Kinetically stabilized 1,2-dihydrodisilenes were successfully synthesized and isolated by the introduction of sterically protecting bulky aryl groups. These 1,2-dihydrodisilenes exhibit distinct Si=Si double-bond character in both solution and the solid state. The Si-H bonds in these 1,2-dihydrodisilenes exhibit higher s character than those of typical σ ⁴, λ ⁴-hydrosilanes. Moderate heating of these 1,2-dihydrodisilenes in solution resulted in their isomerization to the corresponding trihydrodisilanes, with an intramolecular hydrogen migration as the rate-determining step.