A study of the static stereochemistry of 1, 1, 2, 2-tetraphenyldisilane (1) and 1, 1, 2, 2- tetramesityldisilane (2) by empirical force field calculations, X-ray diffraction, and 1H NMR reveals that the preference for the anti conformation, exhibited by the unclamped 1, 1, 2, 2- tetraarylethanes, is sustained in the analogous disilanes, although in somewhat attenuated form. This anti preference stands in contrast to the gauche preference of 1, 1, 2, 2- ...
