Electrochemical activation of diorganyl dialkoxysilanes for siloxane backbone extension

Abstract

The reaction of diorganyl dialkoxysilanes PhRSi(OAlk)₂ (R = Ph, vinyl, OMe; Alk = Me, Et) with electrochemically reduced forms of oxygen provides reactive intermediates that insert into hexamethyldisiloxane or permethyl cyclosiloxanes, D₃ and D₄, to give siloxane products with one additional PhRSiO fragment; the process is thought to occur with the intermediacy of diorganylsilanones.