Cagey silicon: A silicon cluster, consisting of sixteen silicon atoms and composed of an octasilacuneane core (red, see picture) fused with cyclotetrasilanes (orange), was synthesized by reductive tetramerization of tetrachlorocyclotetrasilane. Analytical and theoretical studies reveal the unique structural and electronic features of this organosilicon cluster.

Ein Käfig aus Si: Ein Siliciumcluster aus 16 Siliciumatomen, dessen Octasilacunean‐Kern (rot; siehe Bild) mit Cyclotetrasilanen (orange) fusioniert ist, wurde durch reduktive Tetramerisierung von Tetrachlorcyclotetrasilan synthetisiert. Analytische und theoretische Studien belegen die einzigartigen strukturellen und elektronischen Eigenschaften dieses Organosiliciumclusters.

Benzohexasilabicyclo[2.2.2]octene was synthesized by a microwave-assisted reaction of dichlorocyclohexasilanes with 1,2-dibromobenzene in the presence of magnesium. The 1,4-cyclohexasilanylene group affects the electronic properties of the benzene ring by strong σ–π conjugation. This compound shows intense phosphorescence at 77 K.

The title compound, C28H52Si8, was synthesized by condensation of two mol­ecules of 1,2,3,4-tetra­kis­(chloro­dimethyl­sil­yl)benzene with lithium. The 3,4-disila-1,2-benzocyclo­butene rings in the centrosymmetric molecule are bridged by 1,1,2,2-tetra­methyl­disilanylene chains with an anti conformation. The benzene rings are deformed by fusion with a 3,4-disilacyclo­butene ring resulting in a slight boat conformation. Two Si—C bonds are bent to reduce the steric repulsion between the methyl groups on the two Si atoms and the methyl groups on another two Si atoms.

The Catch Blocks are placed on the sidewalk in order to inform the visually disabled circumstance or to guide them to the nearby buildings. The Catch Blocks might be barriers for not only non-users but also users, because of the unevenness on the surface of tactile warning blocks which compose the Catch Blocks. In this study, the authors used "Flat Escorting Line; FEL" which has flat surface and can inform the visually disabled circumstance with tactile information and sound from elasticity material, and inspected validity of using FEL as the Catch Block with walking experiment, comparing FEL with the tactile warning blocks.