Reactivities of tetrahalosilanes and silane with sulphur trioxide

Reactions of tetrahalosilanes [SiX4 (X= F, Cl or Br)] and silane (SiH4) with sulphur trioxide (SO3) have been studied under different experimental conditions. Each of the silanes behaves differently in accordance with the bond energy of the Si—X bond. While SiF4 remains unreactive even at 600°C, SiCl4 reacts with SO3 at 500°C giving rise to hexachlorodisiloxane [(SiCl3)2O] as the major product. In contrast SiBr4 and SiH4 react with SO3 at room temperature and below room temperature, respectively, yielding silica as one of the products of reaction. In all cases the SO3 is reduced to sulphur dioxide.