Formation of the Si-B bond: insertion reactions of silylenes into B-X(X = F, Cl, Br, O, and N) bonds.

The insertion reactions of the silylene H2Si with H2BXHn-1 (X = F, Cl, Br, O, N; n = 1, 1, 1, 2, 3) have been studied by DFT and MP2 methods. The calculations show that the insertions occur in a concerted manner, forming H2Si(BH2)(XHn-1). The essences of H2Si insertions with H2BXHn-1 are the transfers of the σ electrons on the Si atom to the positive BH2 group and the electrons of X into the empty p orbital on the Si atom in H2Si. The order of reactivity in vacuum shows the barrier heights increase for the same-family element X from up to down and the same-row element X from right to left in the periodic table. The energies relating to the B-X bond in H2BXHn-1, and the bond energies of Si-X and Si-B in H2Si(BH2)(XHn-1) may determine the preference of insertions of H2Si into B-X bonds for the same-column element X or for the same-row element X. The insertion reactions in vacuum are similar to those in solvents, acetone, ether, and THF. The barriers in vacuum are lower than those in solvents and the larger polarities of solvents make the insertions more difficult to take place. Both in vacuum and in solvents, the silylene insertions are thermodynamically exothermic. Graphical Abstract The insertion process of H2Si and H2BXHn-1(X = F, Cl, Br, O, and N; n = 1, 1 , 1, 2, 3).