Hexamethyldisiloxane Synthesis and Reactions

Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) is an organosilicon compound with the formula O[Si(CH3)3]2. This volatile colourless liquid is used as a solvent and as a reagent in organic synthesis. It is prepared by the hydrolysis of trimethylsilyl chloride. The molecule is the protypical disiloxane and resembles a subunit of polydimethylsiloxane.

Hexamethyldisiloxane can be produced by hydrolysis of trimethylsilyl chloride:

2 Me3SiCl + H2O → 2 HCl + O[Si(CH3)3]2

It also results from the hydrolysis of silylethers and other silyl-protected functional groups. HMDSO can be converted back to the chloride by reaction with Me2SiCl2.

Hexamethyldisiloxane is mainly used as source of the trimethylsilyl functional group (-Si(CH3)3) in organic synthesis. For example, in the presence of acid catalyst, it converts alcohols and carboxylic acids into the silyl ethers and silyl esters, respectively.

It reacts with rhenium(VII) oxide to give the silanoate complex:

Re2O7 + O[Si(CH3)3]2 → 2 O3ReOSi(CH3)3