Abstract. New data on proton and neutron single-particle energies E nlj of Si isotopes with neutron number N from 12 to 28 as well as occupation probabilities N nlj of single particle states of stable isotopes 28,30 Si near the Fermi energy were obtained by the joint evaluation of the stripping and pick-up reaction data and excited state decay schemes of neighboring nuclei. The evaluated data indicate following features of single-particle structure evolution: persistence of Z = 14 subshell closure with N increase, the new magicity of the number N = 16, and the conservation of the magic properties of the number N = 20 in Si isotopic chain. The features were described by the dispersive optical model. The calculation also predicts the weakening of N = 28 shell closure and demonstrates evolution of bubble-like structure of the proton density distributions in neutron-rich Si isotopes.PACS. 21.10.Pc Single-particle levels and strength functions -24.10.Ht Optical and diffraction models