Method for cross-linking and stabilizing polymers which can be cross-linked radically

In a method for cross-linking radically cross-linkable saturated hydrocarbon polymer systems and for stabilizing such polymer systems against oxidative and/or thermal decomposition, the improvement comprising carrying out the cross-linking of the polymer systems in the presence of oxidation inhibitors selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae:

• ##STR25## wherein G is selected from n-alkylene or iso-alkylene having 1 to 5 C-atoms, O and S;
• at least one R.sup.1 at each Si-atom is alkenyl with 2 to 3 C-atoms and, for any remaining positions, R.sup.1 is selected from cycloalkyl, aryloxy, aralkyloxy having 7 to 11 C-atoms, cycloalkyloxy, alkyl with 1 to 3 C-atoms, phenyl, alkyloxy with 1 to 3 C-atoms, methoxyethoxy and ethoxyethoxy;
• and
• R.sup.4 is selected from hydrogen, n- or iso-alkyl with 1 to 5 C-atoms or the two R.sup.4 ortho substituents together can be benzo;
• ##STR26## wherein u is a number from 1 to 20 and R.sup.1, R.sup.4 and G are as defined above;
• ##STR27## wherein v=0 to 2 and w=1 to 6, R.sup.1 is as defined above, R.sup.12 is n- or iso-alkyl with 1 to 5 C-atoms and L is a w-times substituted n- or isoalkyl radical with 1 to 6 C-atoms;
• ##STR28## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 are as defined above;
• ##STR29## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 are as defined above;
• ##STR30## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 are as defined above;
• R.sup.14 is selected from hydrogen, n- or isoalkyl with 1 to 12 C-atoms and n- or isoalkyloxy with 1 to 12 C-atoms;
• (g) compounds formed by oligimerizing the compounds of (f) via the C.dbd.C double bond at atoms C.sup.3 and C.sup.4 and ##STR31## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.4, G and u are as defined above.