Preparation and reactivity of polyfunctional six- and eight-membered cyclic silicates

Six- and eight-membered cyclic silicates with reactive SiH or Si-vinyl functional groups have been prepared: hexakis(dimethylsiloxy)cyclotrisiloxane (I), hexakis(vinyldimethylsiloxy)cyclotrisiloxane (II), octakis(dimethylsiloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane (III) and octakis(vinyldimethylsiloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane (IV). Reaction of pseudo wollastonite (Ca3Si3O9) with dimethylchlorosilane or vinyldimethylchlorosilane gives I and II, respectively. IV has been prepared similarly by reaction of octakis[chloro calcium oxy]cyclotetrasilicate [Ca8Si4O12Cl8] with vinyldimethylchlorosilane. On the other hand, acid catalyzed siloxane exchange between tetramethyldisiloxane and octakis(trimethylsiloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane (V) gave III. Cyclic silicates (I–VI) are surprisingly resistant to acid catalyzed ring opening polymerization. In addition, II, IV, V and hexakis(trimethylsiloxy)cyclotrisiloxanes (VI) are resistant to phosphazene P4-t-Bu superbase catalyzed ring opening polymerization.