Photolysis of 2,2-Dimethyl-2-silabutane (Ethyltrimethylsilane) at 147 nm

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j150615a028

Eight stable products in the neat photolysis at 147 nm of ethyltrimethylsilane (ETMS) along with three additional stable products found in the presence of additives are rationalized in terms of five primary molecular products, eight atomic or free radical intermediates, and (CH3)2SiCH2.In decreasing order of importance these are CH3 <0.45>, C2H4 <0.21>, (CH3)2SiCH2 <0.17>, C2H5 <0.15>, H2 <0.12>, (CH3)3Si <0.11>, H*<0.10>, CH4 <0.10>, C2H6 <0.10>, (CH3)3SiCH2 <0.09>, (CH3)2SiC2H5 <0.08>, (CH3)3SiC2H4* <0.06>, (CH3)2SiH <0.05>, and (CH3)3SiH <0.03>.In contrast to the photochemistry of tetramethylsilane, many competing primary processes occur and there is little indication of a dominant reaction.This multiplicity of products creates a system too complex for unambiguous elucidation but illustrates many reactions found commonly in photochemical studies of hydrocarbons.It appears that the structure of the molecule and the availability of secondary hydrogens are more important to the overall reaction mechanism than is the presence of silicon.