Process for the preparation of organoalkoxysilanes

An improvement in a process for the esterification of an organochlorosilane by feeding alcohol into a chlorosilane maintained within a reaction zone without said alcohol contacting said chlorosilane in the gas phase wherein the esterification is performed stepwise with extraction of hydrogen chloride which has developed, the improvement which comprises employing in at least a final esterification step an organochlorosilane of the formula

• H.sub.a R.sub.b Si Cl.sub.4-a-b
• wherein
• R represents an optionally halogen-substituted alkyl radical which can also contain an oxygen or sulfur atom in the chain or a halogen or a NO.sub.2 group or a protected phenolic group containing aryl radical
• a equals 0, 1, or 2,
• b equals 1 or 2, and
• a+b amounts to a maximum of 3,
• said final esterification step being performed with the addition of heat, said final esterification step being carried out at the boiling temperature of the reaction mixture.