Synthesis and X-ray Crystal Structure of a Soluble Zinc Silicate Polyhedron, [(Me2NC6H4NMe2)ZnLi{O3Si(Me3Si)N(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)}]4

The reaction between a mixture of Me 2 Zn and MeLi with RSi(OH) 3 (R = 2,6- i -Pr 2 C 6 H 3 NSiMe 3 ) in the presence of N, N, N ‘, N ‘-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine in THF/hexane leads to the formation of compound (LZnLiO 3 SiR) 4 (L = Me 2 NC 6 H 4 NMe 2, R = 2,6- i -Pr 2 C 6 H 3 NSiMe 3 ), 1 . The molecular structure of compound 1 shows a central planar eight-membered Li 4 O 4 ring, which is sandwiched between two puckered eight-membered Zn 2 Si 2 O 4 rings. The periphery of the central Li 4 Zn 4 Si 4 O 12 polyhedron is surrounded by hydrophobic groups, explaining the high solubility of 1 in common organic solvents. This is the first molecular zinc siloxane compound characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.