Microwave effects on chemical functionalization of hydrogen-terminated porous silicon nanostructures

This article reports on the chemical functionalization of hydrogen-terminated porous silicon (PSi-H) nanostructures with alkenes, aldehydes, and alkyl halides under microwave irradiation. The technique allows for the introduction of different functional groups on the surface. The use of microwave irradiation has a net effect on the hydrosilylation reaction rate. However, no specific microwave effect was observed when the freshly prepared PSi-H surface was modified with an alkene bearing an aldehyde function. The reaction takes place at both the carbon-carbon and the carbon-oxygen double bonds. The polar aldehyde functional group did not show a dominant effect in directing the reaction selectively at the carbonyl group.