Organosilicon chemistry. Part II. The thermal decomposition of hexamethyldisilane, the Me3Si–SiMe3 bond dissociation energy, and the ionisation potential of the trimethylsilyl radical

Abstract

The thermal decomposition of hexamethyldisilane has been studied in a flow system connected to a mass spectrometer to give the bond dissociation energy D(Me₃Si–SiMe₃)= 49 ± 6 kcal. mole^–1. This value has been combined with a measured appearance potential to give a new value of the ionisation potential of the trimethylsilyl radical, I.P. (Me₃Si)= 7·93 ± 0·3 eV.