Alternative reducing agents for the Wurtz synthesis of polysilanes

Abstract

Poly(methylphenylsilane) has been shown to be capable of formation from dichloromethylphenylsilane using metallic reducing agents other than the alkali metals that are invariably used in these Wurtz-type coupling reactions; for these preliminary studies yttrium and pyrophoric lead were chosen on the basis of electrochemical and mechanistic considerations, and their ready availability as powders of controlled particle size, and though these are far from ideal reagents for the purpose, they demonstrate the possibilities for tight control of these reactions being achieved through the use of alternatives to the alkali metals.