Group of chemical compounds
Siloxides are chemical compounds with the formula R3SiOM, where R is usually an organic group and M is usually a metal cation. Also called silanolates, they are derived by deprotonation of silanols. They also arise by the degradation of siloxanes by base:[1]
- R3SiOSiR3 + 2 NaOH → 2 R3SiONa + H2O
Cleavage of cyclic siloxanes affords siloxides:
- (Me2SiO)3 + MeLi → Me3SiOSiMe2OSiMe2OLi
These anions function as ligands for metal ions, forming complexes similar to metal alkoxides. Sodium trimethylsiloxide is useful for generating metal complexes by salt metathesis reactions. A very bulky siloxide is tert-butyl3SiO−, sometimes called silox.
Siloxides are weaker net donors than alkoxides because pπ-d donation has to compete with backbonding from the oxygen atom into the low-lying Si-C σ* orbitals.[1]
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