The first heavy alkaline earth metal bis(tris(trimethylsilyl))silanides were obtained in high
yield and purity by a straightforward metathesis reaction involving the treatment of
potassium tris(trimethylsilyl)silanide, K(THF)
n
Si(SiMe3)3, with calcium, strontium, and
barium iodides. The addition of specific donors provided either contact or separated species
in the solid state, whereas in aromatic solvents the compounds dissociate into separated
ions, as shown by 29Si NMR spectroscopic studies. We here report on the syntheses and
characterization of compounds displaying M−Si bonds in the solid state with the general
formula of M(THF)
n
(Si(SiMe3)3)2 (M = Ca, n = 3, 1; Sr, n = 3, 2; and Ba, n = 4, 3) and
Sr(TMEDA)(THF)(Si(SiMe3)3)2, 4 (TMEDA = N,N,N‘,N‘-tetramethylethylenediamine). Compound 5, [Ba(HMPA)6][(Si(SiMe3)3)2], displays separated ions, while 6, [Ba(18-crown-6)(Si(SiMe3)3)2][Ba(HMPA)6][(Si(SiMe3)3)2], is a rare example containing both contact and
separated ions in the asymmetric unit. All compounds were characterized using X-ray
crystallography, 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR, and IR spectroscopy.