One reason suggested for the instability of long chains of silicon atoms is that the decomposition involves the transition state shown below:

The activation energy for such a process is 210 kJ/mol, which is less than either the Si-Si or the Si-H bond energy. Why would a similar mechanism not be expected to play a very important role in the decomposition of long chains of carbon atoms as seen in organic compounds?

Transcribed Image Text:

Η Η H-Si-Si-H H Η H Η H H-Si; Η H H Si: Η SiH4 + :SiH2