• In combination with DMSO, thiols are oxidized to disulfides under nearly neutral conditions: Synlett, 346 (2002).
• Convenient, mild silylating reagent which generates gaseous ammonia as the only by-product (see Appendix 4). Non-acidic substrates normally require a catalyst.
• Can also function as a protected form of ammonia, e.g. to convert acid chlorides to primary amides: Synthesis, 517 (1985), and substituted maleic anhydrides to maleimides: Tetrahedron Lett., 31, 5201 (1990).
• HMDS in the presence of TMS chloride permits the selective O-silylation of amino alcohols: Synthesis, 990 (1988). Alcohols and phenols can be silylated in the presence of amines and thiols with ZnCl2 as catalyst: Synth. Commun., 23, 1633 (1993).
• Silylation of alcohols, including carbohydrates, is catalyzed by TMS chloride: J. Org. Chem., 23, 50 (1958); J. Am. Chem. Soc., 85, 2497 (1963); Chem. Ind. (London), 794 (1984). Silylation of phenols occurs readily, see also: Liebigs Ann. Chem., 20 (1973).
• A range of catalysts for silylation with HMDS, including saccharin and sodium saccharin, has been recommended: J. Org. Chem., 47, 3966 (1982), for silylation of alcohols, phenols, thiols, carboxylic acids, amides, thioamides, hydroxamic acids, hydrazides, NH-groups of heterocycles, hydrazines, 1,3-diketones, etc. The use of TBAF (0.02 eq.) or iodine (0.01 eq.) also provide mild procedures for O-silylation: Tetrahedron Lett., 35, 8409 (1994); J. Org. Chem., 65, 7228 (2000).
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For conversion of carbonyl groups to silyl enol ethers, see Iodotrimethylsilane, A12902.