An oligosilane initiator for the Wurtz-type polymerisation of dichloromethylphenylsilane

1-Chloro-4-methyl-1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4-octaphenyltetrasilane was employed as an initiator in the Wurtz-type reductive coupling polymerisations of dichloromethylphenylsilane with sodium in toluene at 65 degrees C. Yields of polymethylphenylsilane (PMPS) were in the range 32-35% which was almost double that obtained by otherwise identical reactions in the absence of the initiator (16-19%). Furthermore, higher molecular weight parameters were observed for PMPS synthesised with the initiator. This is believed to be a result of the low reduction potential of the oligosilane allowing for it to compete efficiently in the initiation step with the dichloromethylphenylsilane monomer and inhibit end-biting, which usually occurs in conventional syntheses by reaction of the silyl anion with the terminal silicon-chlorine bond in the early stages of the polymerisation. Si-29 NMR spectroscopic analysis of an isolated high molecular weight fraction supported the incorporation of the oligosilane in the PMPS chain. In contrast, the use of the initiator in the Wurtz-reductive coupling of dichloromethylphenylsilane in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature led to no increase in molecular weights or yields of PMPS which confirms that the end-biting reaction is not as significant in polymerisations carried out under these conditions.