Stereoselective Anionic Polymerization of Amino-Substituted Masked Disilenes

Stereoselective anionic polymerization of the amino-substituted masked disilene 1, 2-dibutylamino-2,3,3-trimethyl-1-phenyl-2,3-disilabicyclo[2.2.2]octa-5,7-diene, is reported. When the polymerization of 1 was initiated with silyl anions or butyllithium, it produced a highly ordered alternating polymer structure with a diad distribution where the ratio of m/r varies from ∼1:3 to 1:9 depending on the metal ion in the anionic initiator and the polymerization temperature.