Fluoride Ion-Initiated Decarboxylation of Silyl Alkynoates to Alkynylsilanes.

This communication describes the development of a metal-free catalytic decarboxylation of silyl alkynoates to alkynylsilanes. Treatment of a silyl alkynoate with a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium difluorotriphenylsilicate (TBAT) in N,N-dimethylformamide at 150 °C resulted in decarboxylation to give the corresponding alkynylsilane in good to excellent yield (75 → 95%). The TBAT system was applicable to the decarboxylation of sterically demanding silyl alkynoates such as tert-butyldiphenylsilyl 3-phenylpropiolate. Mechanistic studies revealed that the tetrabutylammonium alkynoate derived from TBAT and the silyl alkynoate act as a catalyst for the decarboxylation.