Previously unknown 1,1,4-tris(trimethylsilyl)-4-acyldodecamethylcyclohexasilanes (Me3Si)2Si6Me12(Me3Si)COR (16a, R = tert-butyl; 16b, R = 1-adamantyl) have been synthesized by the reaction of the potassium silanides (Me3Si)2Si6Me12(Me3Si)K with acid chlorides ClCOR, and their photochemical rearrangement reactions have been studied. The molecular structures of 16a,b as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis exhibit an unusual twist-boat conformation of the cyclohexasilane ring. When 16a,b were photolyzed with λ >300 nm radiation, they underwent Brook type 1,3-Si → O migration reactions to generate the cyclohexasilanes 17a,b with exocyclic Si=C bonds along with smaller amounts of the ring-enlarged species 19a,b with endocyclic Si=C double bonds. While 17a,b were stable enough to allow characterization by NMR and UV absorption spectroscopy, the less stable products 19a,b could only be observed in the form of their methanol adducts.

A series of previously unknown bridgehead-functionalized bicyclo[2.2.2]octasilanes, Me3Si-Si8Me12-X, X-Si8Me12-X, and X-Si8Me12-Y [X, Y = −SiMenPh3–n (n = 1, 2) (2, 3, 10), −SiMe2Fc (Fc = ferrocenyl) (4, 11, 13, 14), −COR (R = Me, tBu) (6, 7, 12), COOMe (8), COOH (9)], have been prepared by the reaction of the silanides Me3Si-Si8Me12–K+ or K+–Si8Me12–K+ with proper electrophiles and fully characterized. The molecular structures of 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 13 as determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis exhibit a slightly twisted structure of the bicyclooctasilane cage. Endocyclic bond lengths, bond angles, and dihedral angles are not influenced considerably by the substituents attached to the bridgehead silicon atoms. Due to σ(SiSi)/π(aryl) conjugation, a 20–30 nm bathochromic shift of the longest wavelength UV absorption band relative to Me3Si-Si8Me12-SiMe3 (1) is evident in the UV absorption spectra of the phenyl and ferrocenyl derivatives. Otherwise, UV absorption data do not support the assumption of aryl/aryl or aryl/C=O interaction via the σ(SiSi) bicyclooctasilane framework.