Efficient, “one-pot” synthesis of silylene–acetylene and disilylene–acetylene preceramic polymers from trichloroethylene

An extremely efficient process has been developed for the synthesis of linear silylene-acetylene and disilylene-acetylene polymers. Trichloroethylene is quantitatively converted by n-butyllithium to dilithioacetylene. Quenching with dialkyl-or diaryldichlorosilanes affords high yields of the polymers, $ \rlap{--} {\rm SiR}_{\rm 2} \hbox{---} {\rm C} \equiv {\rm C\rlap{--} ]}_n ,{\rm and }\rlap{--} {\rm SiMe}_{\rm 2} {\rm SiMe}_{\rm 2} - {\rm C} \equiv {\rm C\rlap{--} ]}_n $ if ClMe₂SiSiMe₂Cl is employed. Molecular weights are much higher with this route than when acetylene is used as the dilithio- or dimagnesium acetylide precursor. Some of these polymers can be pulled into continuous fibers, and all can be cast into coherent films and thermally converted into silicon carbide.