Silane is an inorganic compound with chemical formula, SiH4, making it a group 14 hydride. It is a colourless, flammable gas with a sharp, repulsive smell, somewhat similar to that of acetic acid. Silane is of practical interest as a precursor to elemental silicon. Silanes refer to many compounds with four substituents on silicon, including an organosilicon compound. Examples include trichlorosilane (SiHCl3), tetramethylsilane (Si(CH3)4), and tetraethoxysilane (Si(OC2H5)4).