Nickel-assisted complete cleavage of CO by a silylene/siliconoid hybrid under formation of an Si&z.dbd;C enol ether bridge

Reaction of a silylene-functionalized Si 6 siliconoid with CO in the presence of catalytic quantities of a nickel(0) complex results in the complete cleavage of the CO triple bond, but preserves the Si 6 scaffold with an exohedrally incorporated Si&z.dbd;C enol ether bridge. The uncompromised cluster core emphasizes the role of the so-called benzpolarene motif as the energetic silicon pendants of benzene in carbon chemistry. A silylene-siliconoid hybrid incorporates CO to form a Si&z.dbd;C enol ether bridge in the presence of Ni(cod) 2 ( = silicon).