Heterosubstituted polysilanes

The reaction of phenylalkylpolysilanes (PhRSi)(n) (R = Me, Pr, Hex, Oct) wi th acetyl chloride/aluminum chloride or acetyl bromide/aluminum bromide yie lded the new halogen-substituted polysilanes SiX2R-(SiXR)(n)-SiX2R (X = Cl, Br). These were further converted into alkoxy- or thioalkyl-substituted po lysilanes, providing the first method for synthesizing such polymers. The h alogenated polysilanes were also hydrogenated with LiAlH4 to form hydropoly silanes SiH2R-(SiHR)(n)-SiR2R. All polysilanes were characterized by H-1, C -13, Si-29 NMR, GPC, and UV. The phenylalkylpolysilanes and p-methoxyphenyl hexylpolysilane showed strong fluorescence in the near-UV.