Studies in IVth group organometallic chemistry XV. Base-catalyzed hydrolysis of a series of IVth group organometallic esters

Abstract

The esters R3M(CH2)nCOOEt (R = Et, M = Si, Ge or Sn, n = 1, 2 or 3, and R = Me, M = Ge, n = 2) were prepared. The rates of alkaline hydrolysis were determined, except for the compounds with n = 1, for which metal-carbon bond cleavage occurs.

The rates of hydrolysis of the substituted propionates (n = 2) were found to be relatively high. A possible explanation, involving interaction in the transition state between the carbonyl oxygen and the metal atom, is proposed.

In the hydrolysis of the substituted butyrates (n = 3), differences between the effects of the metal atoms were not apparent.