Abstract The reaction of Si 6 Me 12 and Si 5 Me 10 with chlorine gives 1, 6-Cl 2 Si 6 Me 12 and i, 5-Cl 2 Si 5 Me 10, respectively, and these compounds are in turned cleaved by chlorine to give smaller α, ω-dichloropolysilanes. The terminal Si Si bond in these linear chlorosilanes appears to be relatively unreactive towards chlorine, with chlorination occurring instead at the interior Si Si bond positions in the chain. With larger amounts of ...