PLASMA POLYMERIZATION OF PHENYLSILANE

Comparative studies on plasma polymerizations of phenylsilane (PHSIH//3) and toluene (PhCH//3) have been carried out to prepare plasma polymers containing aromatic groups. The IR and ESCA spectra show that PhSiH//3 and PhCH//3 are subjected to ring-opening reactions in a discharge state to form polymers involving alkyl chains as well as aromatic groups. The ring-opening reactions are more feeble in the PhSiH//3 system than in the PhCH//3 system, which may be due to stabilization of phenyl-Si bonds in PhSiH//3 by contribution of p// pi minus d// pi bonding. Aromatic groups incorporated into the plasma polymers from PhSiH//3 are mono-substituted.