Decatungstate (W10O32(4-))/silane: a new and promising radical source under soft light irradiation.

The use of decatungstate (W10O32(4-)) in combination with silanes to generate silyl radicals under green fluorescence bulb irradiation as well as sunlight exposure is described. The mechanisms are investigated by ESR and laser flash photolysis experiments. The high potential of this reaction is evidenced here when using a decatungstate/silane/diphenyl iodonium salt combination as an initiating system for the ring opening photopolymerization of epoxides.