The long-range spin–spin coupling constants between protons bonded to silicon and ring protons in C6H5SiH3, C6H5SiH2Cl, C6H5SiH2CH3, C6H5SiHCl2, and C6H5SiH(CH3)2 are determined from the proton magnetic resonance spectra of benzene solutions. A hindered rotor treatment of the barrier to internal rotation about the C—Si bond, in conjunction with the coupling constants over six bonds, allows the deduction of the low-energy conformations for C6H5SiH(CH3)2 and for C6H5SiHCl2, as well as of barriers of 1.0 ± 0.2 kcal/mol. The approach becomes less reliable for C6H5SiH2CH3 and for C6H5SiH2Cl and, particularly for the latter compound, the derived barrier is very likely an upper limit only. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations of the conformational energies are reported for C6H5SiH3, C6H5SiH2Cl, and for C6H5SiHCl2.
