Synthesis and reactivity of achiral and of a novel planar chiral thioferrocenoylsilanes

The reactions of thioferrocenoylsilanes with organolithium reagents, dienes and reducing agents which afford α-silyl sulphides, dihydrothiopyranes and α-silyl ferrocenyl thiols, respectively, have been investigated. α-Silyl sulphides were further functionalised through carbodesilylation with aldehydes. We also report the synthesis of a new planar chiral thioferrocenoylsilane that gave good diastereomeric excess in the reaction with t-butyllithium, lithium lutidine and 2,3-dimethylbuta-1,3-diene. The 1,1′-bis-thioferrocenoylsilane, too unstable to be isolated, was trapped in situ with dienes. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.