Conjunction in organic compounds of silicon-subgroup elements

The existing theoretical ideas concerning the intramolecular interaction in organic compounds of silicon-subgroup elements are examined in relation to the results of experimental studies. It is shown that the overall resonance effect of organoelement substituents includes acceptor (joint influence of unoccupied nd and antibonding σ* orbitals) and donor (σ,π conjugation, σ,π* conjugation, and σ,n conjugation) components. The relative contributions of these components to the resonance effect are analysed as a function of the type of central element, the organic groups linked to it, and the reaction centre. The bibliography includes 161 references.