Electroreductive Formation of Silyl Anion and Its Reaction with Electrophiles

Electroreduction of methylphenylpolysilane (MPPS) with Mg electrode led to the formation of silyl anion. The reactions of this silyl anion with electrophiles such as dichlorosilanes and dichlorogermanes were found to form new Si–Si and Si–Ge bond, respectively. Namely, the reaction of this silyl anion with methylphenyldichlorosilanes resulted in the increase of the molecular weight of MPPS and that with dichlorogermanes led to the formation of Si–Ge copolymers.