Synthesis and spectroscopic study of silacyclyne-substituted phenyleneethynylenes

A series of 1,1-dimethyl-4,5:8,9-dibenzo-1-silacycloundeca-4,8-diene-2,6,10-triyne (DST)-substituted phenyleneethynylenes were successfully synthesized by reaction of Me2SiCl2 with dimagnesium dianions which had been prepared from 2,2′-diethynyl(diphenylethyne) derivatives by treatment with 2 equiv of MeMgBr. All the products were white-to-pale yellow powder stable enough to handle in the air, and their photoluminescence spectra were recorded both in solution and in solid state.