The title reaction has been investigated at room temperature in a discharge flow system and also by stationary Hg (3Pl)-sensitized N20 photolysis experiments. By far the most important reaction is the insertion of O (3P) atoms into the Si-Si bond yielding a vibrationally excited hexamethyldisiloxane. The rate constant for this reaction has been measured to be (1.3 0.3) X cm3 sl. The vibrationally excited hexamethyldisiloxane could not be stabilized at ...
