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Molecular beam photochemistry of organopolysilanes and organopolygermanes

Journal Article · · Organometallics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/om990880u· OSTI ID:20015205
The molecular beam photochemistry of various polysilanes and polygermanes was investigated. In most cases, the precursor compounds were photolyzed in the nozzle region of a supersonic jet by a 193 nm laser and the photoproducts analyzed downstream by 118 nm photoionization pulses followed by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The polysilane and polygermane compounds included in this study were PhMeSi(SiMe{sub 3}){sub 2}, PhSi(SiMe{sub 3}){sub 3}, (Me{sub 2}Si){sub 6}, (Me{sub 2}Ge){sub 6}, and 1,3-diphenyl-1,2,2,3-tetramethyl-1,2,3-trisilacycloheptane. The 193 nm photoproducts of PhSiMe{sub 3}, Me{sub 3}SiSiMe{sub 3}, and vinyltrimethylsilane were also examined for comparison purposes. Dimethylsilylene (Me{sub 2}Si:) was directly observed as the major one-photon photoproduct from the cyclic precursors (Me{sub 2}Si){sub 6} and 1,3-diphenyl-1,2,2,3-tetramethyl-1,2,3-trisilacycloheptane. Likewise, dimethylgermylene (Me{sub 2}Ge:) was directly observed in the photolysis of (Me{sub 2}Ge){sub 6}. One-photon photolysis of the noncyclic polysilanes PhMeSi(SiMe{sub 3}){sub 2} and PhSi(SiMe{sub 3}){sub 3}, however, gave radical products derived from the homolytic scission of a single Si-Si bond with little or no evidence of silylene being generated directly. A mechanism explaining the difference in photochemical outcome for cyclic vs noncyclic molecules is presented. Finally, molecular Si{sub 2}C is found to be a ubiquitous product resulting from the multiphoton photochemistry of a number of organosilicon precursors.
Research Organization:
Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy; National Science Foundation
OSTI ID:
20015205
Journal Information:
Organometallics, Journal Name: Organometallics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 19; ISSN 0276-7333; ISSN ORGND7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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