Influence of Trimethylsilyl Substituents on Primary C - O Bond Lengths at the b-Position: Results from Low-Temperature X-Ray Structural Studies

The β-trimethylsilyl substituent in 2-trimethylsilylethyl p-nitrobenzoate (12b) and 2-trimethylsilylethyl 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfenate (12c) leads to significant lengthening of the C(alkyl)–O(ester) bond. Lengthening of the Si-CH2 distance in the more electronegative ester (12c) relative to (12b) is also observed. These structural effects are consistent with the presence of σC-Si–σ* C-O interactions.