Exploring the chelating potential of 1,3-bis(furyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazides

A range of furyl-substituted silylamides of the group 1 metals have been isolated and structurally characterized. The lithium salts of the neutral compounds (RMe2Si)2NH [1H, R = furyl; 2H, R = 2-methylfuryl; 3H, R = 2-trimethylsilylfuryl] are formed directly in a one-pot reaction between the chloraminosilane, (ClMe2Si)2NH and three equivalents of the appropriate furyl lithium species. Conversion of the Li-salts to the neutral compounds 1H and 2H by quenching with NH4Cl, and reaction of the unpurified products with KNH2 afforded the corresponding potassium salts K{1} and K{2}. The crystal structures of [Li{2}]2, [Li{3}]2(THF), [K{1}(toluene)]2 and [K{2}(toluene)]2 have been determined, in which, as predicted, the ability of the furyl group to coordinate to the metal is related to the size of the substituent in the 2-position.