3-Trimethylsilylcycloalkylidenes. γ-Silyl vs γ-Hydrogen Migration to Carbene Centers.

A series of γ-trimethylsilyl-substituted carbenes have been studied experimentally and by computational methods. In an acyclic system, 1,3-trimethylsilyl migration successfully competes with 1,3-hydrogen migration to the carbene center. The behavior of cyclic 3-trimethylsilyl-substituted carbenes contrasts with that of the acyclic system. Only 1,2-hydrogen migration processes are observed in the five-membered ring due to the high barrier to 1,3-hydrogen migration. In the cyclohexyl system, a small amount of a cyclopropane derived from 1,3-hydrogen migration occurs, as shown by a labeling study. In the cycloheptyl carbene system, a labeling study again showed that 1,3-hydrogen migration to the carbene center leads to the major product. Computational studies suggest that the cyclic carbenes all have lower energy conformations where the trimethylsilyl group is in a pseudo equatorial conformation where it cannot migrate to the carbene center. Computational studies also suggest that cyclohexyl and cycloheptyl carbene systems are slightly stabilized by a rear lobe interaction of the Si-C bond with the carbene center.