Synthesis of Phosphine-Functionalized Silicon Cubane and Its Oxidative Addition, Giving a Bis(silyl)copper Complex

A new strategy for the introduction of a second type of Si atom to silicon cubanes has been developed starting from the tricyclic hexasilane dianion [Ar6Si6]2– (Ar = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2). Treatment of the dianion with Ar′SiCl3, followed by KC8, gave new types of octasilacubanes Ar6Ar′2Si8 [Ar′ = 2,4,6-iPr2C6H2 (3a), 2-Ph2PC6H4 (3b)] in high yields. Remarkably, treatment of cubane 3b bearing with two phosphine groups with 2 equiv of CuCl in CH2Cl2 yielded the bis­(silyl)­copper complex via the selective oxidative addition of the newly formed Si–Si bond to Cu ion. Single-crystal X-ray analysis indicated the unique square-planar, four-coordinate Cu cation paired with the [CuCl2]− counteranion.