Conformational Control of Polysilanes: Use of CH2 Spacers in the Silicon Backbone

By the reaction of a number of oligosilyl potassium compounds with (trimethylsilyl)chloromethane, derivatives containing the (trimethylsilyl)methyl substituent were prepared. Using X-ray single-crystal structure analysis and UV spectroscopy the conformational properties of some of the compounds were studied. It was found that the (trimethylsilyl)methylated examples exhibit UV absorption properties which correspond to lower energy transitions in comparison to those of analogous trimethylsilylated molecules. The influence of this effect decreases, however, with increasing chain lengths.