One-step route to silicon carbide precursors by a tunable catalytic polycondensation

It is reported that 1,4-disilapentane (1, H sub 3 /SiCH sub 2 CH sub 2 SiH sub 2 Me), a highly functionalized carbosilane monomer, can directly serve as a ceramic precursor. The titanium-catalyzed dehydropolymerization gives rise to preceramic oligomers and polymers with a tunable degree of condensation. Whatever the molecular weight of the ceramic precursor, pyrolysis in the presence of Ti catalyst gives high yields of silicon carbide residue.