Organosilicon synthesis of isocyanates: II. Synthesis of aliphatic, carbocyclic, and fatty-aromatic isocyanates

Silylation of a series of aliphatic, carbocyclic, and fatty-aromatic amines gave the corresponding silyl derivatives whose yield depended on the electronic and steric structure of the substrate and the nature of the silylating agent. The yield of isocyanates obtained by phosgenation of the silyl derivatives under mild conditions decreased in going from aliphatic amines to benzylamines and rose as the length of the alkyl chain in fatty-aromatic amines extended. The most convenient procedure for the synthesis of low-boiling alkyl isocyanates was found to be based on the transformation of amines or ammonium salts into silyl or silyl silyl-carabamates, followed by pyrolysis of the latter in the presence of trichloro(phenyl)silane.