Room-temperature, high-yield route to poly(n-alkylmethylsilane)s and poly(di-n-hexylsilane)

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The synthesis of poly(n-hexylmethylsilane) in crude yields from 50 to 83% and poly(di-n-hexylsilane) in crude yields from 67 to 82%, was accomplished by performing Wurtz-type reductive-coupling polymerizations of the corresponding dicholorodiorganosilanes in THF at room temperature. After purification, both polymers were obtained in isolated yields of greater than 50%, which are the highest achieved for such polysilanes to date. The general applicability of the synthetic procedure was also demonstrated by syntheses of poly(methyl-n-octylsilane) and poly(methyl-n-propylsilane) in good yields. The results indicate that the reductive coupling of dichlorodiorganosilanes in THF at room temperature offers not only greatly improved polymer yields but also provides a general route to polydiorganosilanes that is a considerable improvement on Wurtz-type syntheses carried out in toluene at 110 degreesC.