Ab initio Study on Mechanism of Forming a Silicic Bis-Heterocyclic Compound Between Dimethylmethylenesilylene and Ethene

The mechanism of the cycloaddition reaction of forming a silicic bis-heterocyclic compound between singlet dimethylmethylenesilylene (Me₂C=Si:) and ethene has been investigated with the CCSD(T)//MP2/6-31G^* method. From the potential energy profile, it can be predicted that, this reaction has one dominant channel. The presented rule of this dominant channel: the 3p unoccupied orbital of Si in dimethylmethylenesilylene and the π orbital of ethene forming the π→p donor-acceptor bond, resulting in the formation of three-membered ring intermediate (INT1); INT1 then isomerizes to a four-membered ring silylene (P2), which is driven by ring-enlargement effect; due to sp³ hybridization of Si atom in P2, P2 further combines with ethene to form a silicic bis-heterocyclic compound.