Hexamethyldisilane can be produced by
Wurtz-like coupling of trimethylsilyl chloride in the presence of a reducing agent such as
potassium graphite: : With an excess of the reductant, the alkali metal silyl derivative is produced: : The Si-Si bond in hexamethyldisilane is cleaved by strong nucleophiles and electrophiles. Alkyl lithium compounds react as follows: :Si2Me6 + RLi → RSiMe3 + LiSiMe3
Iodine gives
trimethylsilyl iodide. :Me3Si−SiMe3 + I2 → 2 SiMe3I ==References==