Metallasilatranes: Palladium(II) and Platinum(II) as Lone‐Pair Donors to Silicon(IV)

Caught by the octopus: The first structurally characterized metallasilatranes exhibit strong, formally dative Pd→Si and Pt→Si bonds (see picture; C gray, N blue, Si red, S yellow, Cl green, Pt black). The Si atoms are hexacoordinate, and the transition-metal (TM) atom is a lone-pair donor. Short TMSi separations, pronounced upfield 29Si NMR signals, and strong Si–Pt coupling show the interaction between the TM atom and a main-group element with an octet shell.