organosilanes

Organosilanes are organosilicon compounds that contain at least one silicon–carbon bond. The defining feature is the Si–C bond, which links silicon to organic substituents such as alkyl, aryl, vinyl, or other carbon-containing groups. Organosilanes may also carry additional substituents on silicon, including halides, alkoxy groups, or hydride. This broad class includes alkylsilanes, arylsilanes, vinyl silanes, and hydrosilanes (Si–H bearing compounds), as well as chlorosilanes and silyl ethers, all of which are distinguished by the presence of carbon–silicon bonds.

Common subclasses include alkylsilanes (R3Si–R or R3Si–R′), arylsilanes, vinyl and allyl silanes, and hydrosilanes of the form R3SiH. Chlorosilanes (R3SiCl) are also organosilanes. Silyl ethers, where silicon bears an alkoxy group and carbon substituents, are frequently used in organic synthesis as protected alcohols.

Preparation and reactions of organosilanes typically involve forming Si–C bonds, for example by reacting chlorosilanes with organometallic reagents or via hydrosilylation of alkenes or alkynes using transition-metal catalysts. Organosilanes hydrolyze to silanols and can condense to form siloxane networks, a property exploited in silicone materials. They also participate in a wide range of transformations in which new Si–C bonds are formed.

Applications are broad. In organic synthesis, organosilanes serve as reagents for introducing silicon groups and as protecting groups (for example, silyl ethers such as tert-butyldimethylsilyl or trimethylsilyl ethers for alcohols). In materials science and industry, they are key precursors in silicone polymers, surface-modification agents, and coupling reagents that link organic molecules to oxide surfaces.