Functionalization and further crosslinking of the nicalon polycarbosilane based on its metalation with the n‐butyllithium—postassium t‐butoxide reagent

Reaction of the Nicalon polycarbosilane with the n‐BuLi/Me 3 COK reagent resulted in metalation of approximately one CH 2 group in four. Reaction of the metalated polymer with Me 2 (CH 2 = CH)SiCl gave a Me 2 (CH 2 = CH)Si‐substitued Nicalon polycarbosilane. The polymer was heated with different amounts of the [(MeSiH) ∼0.8 (MeSi) ∼0.2 ] n polysilane in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile in refluxing benezene. Hydrosilylation by the SiH‐containing polysilane of the CH 2 CH groups of the Me 2 (CH 2 CH) Si‐substituted Nicalon polycarbosilane gave a new hybrid polymer (when appropriate quantities of reactant polymers were used) whose pyrolyis in a stream of argon to 1000°C left a ceramic residue in 77% yield whose elemental analysis indicated a nominal composition of 91% by weight SiC and 9% C.