Question

Why silanes are more reactive than alkanes?

Answer 1

Answer:

Properties. Silane is the silicon analogue of methane. Because of the greater electronegativity of hydrogen in comparison to silicon, this Si–H bond polarity is the opposite of that in the C–H bonds of methane. ... Consequently, compounds containing Si–H bonds are much more reactive than is H2.

Explanation:

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Answer 2

Silanes are more reactive than alkanes because:

• Size of Si is larger than C which facilitate the attack by nucleophiles.
• Hydrogen has greater electronegativity than Si. Because of this, the polarity of Si-H bond is opposite of the electronegativity seen in the case of C-H or C-R bond of alkane. Due to this, silanes have greater tendency to form cpmplexes with transition metals than that of alkanes.
• As the bond energy of Si-H is lower than the bond energy of C-H or C-R, so it is easier to breaking and formation of bonds which is the main purpose of chemical reaction in the case of Silanes.
• C does not posses any vacant d orbital but in case of Si, the availability of vacant 3d orbitals make silanes more reactive.
• In case of alkanes other than methane, presence of -R group which contributes +I and hyperconjugation effect to the alkane also decreases its reactivity to the nucleophiles.

Silanes are the Silicon analogues of Methane.