Synthesis and reactivity of silyl vinylketenes: a formal interrupted Dötz benzannulation with unexpected silyl migration.

[reaction: see text]. An efficient method for the generation of silyl vinylketenes from the thermal reaction of Fischer carbene complexes with silyl-substituted phenylacetylenes is described. Although the silyl vinylketene products are highly stable, conditions have been identified to induce a benzannulation/silyl migration process, providing aromatic silyl ethers.