A Novel Borosilicate Cage Compound with an Incomplete B4Si4 Cube Structure: [(tBuSi)4(CH2=CHC6H4B)4O10]
The authors thank Dr. J. D. Kennedy, University of Leeds (UK) for many helpful discussions and the 11B and 29Si NMR spectra. Research grants to G.F. from NSERC Canada and to L.A.N. from Forbairt (Ireland) are gratefully acknowledged.
Abstract
Equal numbers of boron and silicon atoms are present in a new type of cage compound whose structure (see picture) is based on an incomplete B4Si4 cube in which the boron sites are three-coordinate. This compound, which was synthesized from tert-butyltrichlorosilane, 4-vinylphenylboronic acid, and aqueous aniline, is the first cube-based structure with pairs of the same atoms in adjacent positions.