text: Another classic but elusive family of targets are silylenes, analogues of carbenes. It was proposed that  dechlorination of dimethyldichlorosilane generates dimethylsilylene: 
  :SiCl(CH) +  2 K →  Si(CH)  +  2 KCl
  This inference is supported by conducting the dechlorination in the presence of trimethylsilane, the trapped product being pentamethyldisilane:
  :Si(CH)  +  HSi(CH)  → (CH)Si(H)-Si(CH)
  Not that the trapping agent does not react with dimethyldichlorosilane or potassium metal.