Oxidation of siliconsilicon and siliconhydrogen bonds with molecular oxygen and bis(trimethylsilyl) peroxide

The siliconsilicon bond which is either strained or substituted with more than two fluorine atoms is easily oxidized with molecular oxygen and bis-(trimethylsilyl) peroxide (BSPO) at or below room temperature to form mainly the corresponding disiloxane. The former aerobic oxidation is inhibited by 2,4,6-tri(t-butyl)phenol, while the latter is not. Oxidation of the SiH bond with BSPO and the preparation of three new (fluoro)methyldisilanes are also described.