Hydrosilylation reaction of ethylene with triethoxysilane catalyzed by ruthenium halides and promoted by cuprous halides

•Ethyltriethoxysilane was synthesized with more than 95% overall yield.•The catalyst and co-catalyst are cheap and abundant.•Ruthenium halides–cuprous halides catalyst system show high activity and selectivity.•The optimal reaction temperature is 40–60 °C.•Mild reaction conditions, simplified operational procedure.

The hydrosilylation reaction of ethylene with triethoxysilane catalyzed by ruthenium halides and promoted by cuprous halides, iodine or ferrous chloride tetrahydrates was conducted at temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C under a mild pressure of ethylene gas. Ruthenium chloride trihydrates and cuprous chloride are proved to be the best catalyst and promoter for this reaction. With the addition of 6.8 × 10−5 mol ruthenium chloride trihydrates per mole of triethoxysilane together with over 3 times of cuprous chloride per mole of ruthenium chloride trihydrates, the reaction can conduct rapidly at temperatures ranging from 40 to 60 °C under a pressure of ethylene gas lower than 0.35 MPa with over 96% yield of ethyltriethoxysilane within 6 h.

Graphical abstractThe hydrosilylation reaction of ethylene with triethoxysilane catalyzed by ruthenium chloride trihydrates and promoted by cuprous chloride conducted at temperatures ranging from 30 to 80 °C under a mild pressure of ethylene gas gave 96% yield of ethyltriethoxysilane within 6 h.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide