The polysilanes [RMe2Si(CH2)x(Me)Si]n [x = 2, 3; R = 2‐Fu (1, 2), 5‐Me‐2‐Fu (3, 4)] bearing furyl‐substituted carbosilyl side chains have been synthesized by dehalocondensation reaction (Wurtz coupling) of the corresponding carbosilanes using sodium dispersion in refluxing toluene. On the other hand, analogous polysilanes with appended thienyl groups [x = 2, 3; R = 2‐Th (5, 6), 4‐Me‐2‐Th (7, 8)] are only accessible by the reaction of the corresponding carbosilane precursors under mild Wurtz coupling conditions (THF, RT). These polysilanes reveal monomodal molecular weight distribution with Mw/PDI = 3.3–5.4 × 104/1.22–1.47 (1–4) and 9.1–14.4 × 104/1.45–1.61 (5–8) and are characterized by FT‐IR, multinuclear (1H, 13C{1H}, 29Si{1H}) NMR, and UV/PL spectral studies as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Preliminary studies on the reactivity of polysilane 2 with palladium acetate (toluene, RT) reveal the formation of spherical palladium nanoparticles of size 8.2 ± 0.6 nm, which remain stable in solution for several weeks. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7816–7826, 2008