| The first part of this thesis contains a description of three different approaches taken toward the synthesis of a stable silathione.; The first approach involved elimination of lithium halide from a lithium thiolate of di-t-butylchlosilanethiol. A variable temperature experiment showed the formation of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-2,4-dithiadisilacyclobutane upon heating the lithium thiolate of di-t-butylchloro-silanethiol in deuterated benzene at 338K. Neither the expected silathione could be observed by {dollar}sp{lcub}29{rcub}{dollar}Si NMR spectroscopy nor could it be trapped by 2,3-dimethylbutadiene or hexamethyl-cyclotrisiloxane. It is quite possible that the formation of this cyclic compound might have occurred via two consecutive S{dollar}rm sb{lcub}N{rcub}{dollar}2-like reactions. If so, it is the first example of this type of intermolecular reaction in a hindered silicon substrate.; In the second approach, 2,2-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyltrisilane was cophotolyzed with elemental sulfur and propylene sulfide. In both cases, a complex mixture of products was observed. It was impossible to isolate and identify each and every compound. However, it is noteworthy that no three-membered silathiirane was observed in the product mixture.; In the third approach, the 1,1,3,3-tera-t-butyl-2,4-dithiadisilacyclobutane was photolyzed with hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane and t-BuOH. The complex mixture of products was studied with {dollar}sp1{dollar}H NMR, {dollar}sp{lcub}29{rcub}{dollar}Si NMR, and GC/MS spectroscopy. The results were not indicative of formation of any trapping product from a possible silathione.; The second part of this thesis involves a compilation and survey of demonstrations and experiments in organic chemistry from 1979 to 1994. A brief commentary is included for each of those demonstrations surveyed. A thorough description of six new demonstrations in organic chemistry with safety and disposal is presented. A critique of the 'Organic Chemistry Demonstration Video Disc' prepared by the Institute for Chemical Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is provided for teachers to help them make decisions on the choice of demonstrations. A list of structural formulae for compounds used in the demonstrations is provided in the appendix. Since safety is an important part of doing chemistry, sources of information about the safety hazards of chemicals are also provided. Finally, a list of experiments is provided at the end which may not be suitable as demonstrations. |
