First electrochemical synthesis of network silane and silane–germane copolymers: (C6H11Si)x(PhSi)y and (C6H11Si)x(PhGe)y

Abstract

An electrochemical technique is demonstrated for the synthesis of Si–Si and Si–Ge network copolymers poly(cyclohexylsilyne-co-phenylsilyne) and poly(cyclohexylsilyne-co-phenylgermyne); the molecular mass distributions of the electrochemically prepared polymers are more narrow in comparison to similar polymers prepared by the Wurtz coupling reaction.