Control of molecular topology and metal nuclearity in multimetallic assemblies: designer metallosiloxanes derived from silanetriols.

Lipophilic N-bonded silanetriol RSi(OH)(3) (R=(2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3))N(SiMe(3))) can be utilized as an effective synthon for building a variety of multimetallic assemblies containing the Si-O-M motif. The type of metallosiloxane synthesized-its nuclearity and its molecular topology-can be readily modulated by the choice of the metal substrate, reaction stoichiometry, and reaction conditions. It is anticipated that the synthetic principles elaborated here will allow the design of many other multifunctional synthons.