Abstract Treatment of Si 6 Me 12 with SOCl 2 in various solvents gives α, ω- dichloropermethylpolysilanes (n Si= 2, 3, 4, 6) at temperatures above 80 C. In contrast to an earlier report, treatment of the α, ω-dichloropermethylpolysilanes with HC (OCH 3) 3 in the presence of SOCl 2 does not give Si 6 Me 12.