SiH-containing cyclosilanes and their behaviour in the dehydrogenative polymerization reaction

Abstract To study the behaviour of some cyclosilanes containing SiH bonds in dehydrogenative polymerization, cyclosilanes with SiH bonds directly on the ring and cyclosilanes with Si-H bonds in silyl- and disilanyl side chains were synthesized and characterized by the usual spectroscopic and analytical methods. The ease of the polymerization is affected by steric hindrance and oligomers can be formed along with other side products. Only 1,4-bis(silyl)decamethylcyclohexasilane gave a polymer. Cp 2 HfCl(Si 6 Me 11 ) was prepared for use as a catalyst.