Direct Gas-Phase Kinetic Studies of Silylene Addition Reactions: SiH2 + C3H6, SiH2 + i-C4H8, and SiMe2 + C2H4. The Effects of Methyl Substitution on Strain Energies in Siliranes

Time-resolved studies of the title reactions have been carried out over the pressure range 1−100 Torr (in SF6 bath gas) and at temperatures in the range 293−600 K, using laser flash photolysis techniques to generate and monitor the silylenes, SiH2 and SiMe2. All three reactions showed evidence of pressure dependence, consistent with third-body assisted association reactions to form silirane products. Extrapolation of the pressure-dependent rate constants gave the following Arrhenius parameters:  SiH2 + C3H6, log(A/cm3 molecule-1 s-1) = −9.79 ± 0.03, Ea (kJ mol-1) = −1.9 ± 0.3; SiH2 + C4H8, log(A/cm3 molecule-1 s-1) = −9.91 ± 0.04, Ea (kJ mol-1) = −2.5 ± 0.3; SiMe2 + C4H8, log(A/cm3 molecule-1 s-1) = −12.12 ± 0.02, Ea (kJ mol-1) = −8.5 ± 0.2. These parameters are consistent with fast, nearly collision-controlled processes for SiH2 but a tighter transition state for SiMe2. Rice, Ramsperger, Kassel, Marcus theory (RRKM) modeling, based on consistent transition states for silirane decomposition, and employing...