silan

Silan is a term used to refer to silane and related silicon-hydrogen compounds. The parent member is silane, SiH4, a colorless, volatile gas, and the broader family includes silicon-hydrogen compounds with the general formula Si_nH_2n+2. In English-language chemistry, silane is the standard name, while silan is encountered in some languages and older literature.

Silanes are typically highly reactive and can be hazardous. SiH4 hydrolyzes rapidly in water to form silica and hydrogen gas. In air, silane and many of its higher analogues can be pyrophoric, igniting on contact with oxygen. The Si–H bonds in silanes enable a range of chemical transformations, including hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes to form organosilicon products, and they serve as precursors to silicon-containing materials.

Production and reactions. Industrial routes to silanes include reduction of silicon-containing halides or chlorosilanes with hydrogen or by redistribution of hydrosilane species. Silanes readily undergo hydrolysis and can condense to form siloxane networks. They are also used in catalytic processes to deposit silicon-containing films via chemical vapor deposition.

Applications. In electronics and materials science, silanes and organosilanes are used as silicon sources for film growth, surface modification agents, and protecting groups in organic synthesis. Hydrosilylation reactions, which add Si–H bonds across multiple bonds, are widely employed to construct a broad range of organosilicon compounds and polymers.

Safety. Silanes are generally reactive and can pose fire and health risks. Proper handling requires inert atmospheres, appropriate containment, and avoidance of moisture and air contact, with attention to hydrogen evolution and potential ignition.