Silane, SiH 4 , and diochlorosilane, particularly suitable for the preparation of silicon are readily obtained by disproportionating trichlorosilane to dichlorosilane and, ultimately silane by reacting: (a) a silane containing at least one Si-H bond, of the general formula R n H m SiX 4- (n+m) wherein R represents an alkyl or aryl group, x represents a halogen or an alkoxy group, n is an integer equal to 0, 1, 2 or 3 and m is an integer equal to 1, 2 or 3, and (b) a catalyst system comprising an ionic inorganic salt of the formula M + A - and a compound capable of at least partially dissociating the salt by complexing its cation M + .

Process for the disproportionation of silanes

Tetramethylsilane/dimethyldichlorosilane admixtures are redistributed into trimethylchlorosilane by passing same, in vapor phase, through a reaction zone under mild temperatures and comprising a catalytic amount of anhydrous aluminum chloride granules. Preferably, the redistribution is conducted under atmospheric pressure.

Redistribution of tetramethylsilane/dimethyldichlorosilane into trimethylchlorosilane

Aryldimethylchlorosilanes, useful as reactive intermediates in organosilicon chemistry, are prepared by reacting a diaryldimethylsilane with an organochlorosilane R4-nSi Cln, where R is an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon group and n = 1 or 2, in the presence of aluminium trichloride.

Bazouin A

Papers

Process for the preparation of aryldimethylchlorosilane