SYNTHESIS OF (TRICHLOROMETHYL)ORGANOSILANES BY CATALYTIC DECARBOXYLATION OF (TRICHLOROACETOXY)ORGANOSILANES

A method for preparing (trichloromethyl)organosilanes by the catalytic decarboxylation of the corresponding trichloroacetoxysilanes RMe(2)SiOC(O)CCl3 (R = Me, ClCH2, Ph, Me(3)Si, and H) has been developed. The method involves heating the starting compounds without a solvent in the presence of a catalyst (quaternary ammonium salts or potassium salts with the addition of crown ethers). Tertiary amines (Et(3)N, Bu(3)N) catalyze this reaction only when heating is carried out in donor aprotic solvents (THF, acetonitrile) in the presence of oxygen. Thermal decomposition of (trichloroacetoxy)organosilanes, in contrast to catalytic decarboxylation, begins at a higher temperature and yields a mixture of products.