Aminolysis of crosslinked polysiloxanes: Tautomeric catalysis by 2‐pyridone

Results are presented which extend earlier findings on the transformation of insoluble crosslinked polysiloxanes into soluble linear polymers by selective aminolysis at crosslink sites. The present study provides evidence of a substantial steric effect and catalysis by 2‐pyridone. The results with 2‐pyridone are attributed to tautomeric catalysis which, to our knowledge, had not been observed before in substitution reactions at silicon. Evidence is also presented that unhindered, difunctional primary amines effect aminolysis with both amine groups to produce insoluble crosslinked polymer, presumably with silylamine functionality at crosslink sites.