Single-step synthesis of disiloxanetetraols

Disiloxanetetraols are very useful synthetic precursors for various siloxane compounds. In addition, they are effective starting materials in sol–gel chemistry for the fabrication of well-defined structures. We herein described a facile single-step synthesis of disiloxanetetraols ([RSi(OH) 2 ] 2 O) with various substituents (R = Pr, i -Pr, i -Bu, cyclopentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl, Ph) by hydrolytic condensation of trichlorosilanes, where the reaction was quenched at an early stage. [PrSi(OH) 2 ] 2 O has the smallest substituents among the disiloxanetetraols reported so far. The results of X-ray crystallography of [C 5 H 9 Si(OH) 2 ] 2 O showed a supramolecular sheet structure formed by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. We also found that disiloxanetetraols and cyclotetrasiloxanetetraols with isobutyl groups can be synthesized from isobutyltrichlorosilane by simply changing the quenching time and reaction temperature.