Synthesis, reactivity and X-ray crystal structure of tris(pentafluorophenyl)silanol (C6F5)3SiOH

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)silanol (C6F5)3SiOH was prepared from the corresponding chlorosilane (C6F5)3SiCl by an unconventional controlled hydrolysis. The X-ray structure and the reactivity of the new silanol with various bases, with triflic acid and with some rhenium carbonyl complexes are reported. The Si-C6F5 bond is easily cleaved in the presence of even weak bases and this behaviour prevented the isolation of the (C6F5)3SiO- anion and the synthesis of the [Re(CO)5COSiR3] derivative. In particular, when (C6F5)3SiOH was reacted with butyllithium and Re(CO)5OSO2CF3 the formation of [Re(CO)5C6F5] was observed.