Patent ID: 8900654

Claim:
A method of making an oligosilane or polysilane, comprising: a) combining (i) one or more silane compounds of the formula A n H j R k with (ii) a catalyst selected from the group consisting of N-heterocyclic carbenes, N-heterocyclic silylenes, N-heterocyclic germylenes, N-heterocyclic carbene-metal complexes, N-heterocyclic silylene-metal complexes, N-heterocyclic germylene-metal complexes, and supported versions thereof to form the oligosilane or polysilane, where each instance of A is Si; n is an integer of at least 1; j is an integer of at least 2; when n is odd, j+k is an integer of from n+1 to 2n+2; when n is even, j+k is an integer from n to 2n+2; and each instance of R is independently an aryl group, a halogen atom, or a pseudohalide; and b) removing said catalyst from said oligosilane or polysilane.