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

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.