Table 1. MM3 relative energies and geometries of low-energy conformers of tetrasilanes 1–6.

Tetrasilane	ΔE, kcal/mol	SiSiSiSi ω, °	Average ∠SiSiSi, °
1a	0.0	21	99
1b	0.1	15	100
2		38	107
3a	0.0	59	115
3b	0.1	46	113
3c	0.5	50	110
3d	0.8	35	112
4a	0.0	61	119
4b	0.4	63	117
4c	1.1	68	116
4d	1.5	76	119
5		179	119
6a	0.0	169	117
6b	0.1	52	118
6c	0.4	82	118