Catalytic alkylation process

A catalytic process for alkylating chlorosilanes by reacting an alkyllithium compound of the formula RLi wherein R is an alkyl group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms with a chlorosilane comprising conducting the reaction in a hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of 0.01 to 10 mole percent, based on alkyllithum of a catalytic compound selected from the group consisting of

• (A) a compound represented by the formula
• (R.sup.3).sub.x (RR.sup.1 R.sup.2 M.sup.a).sub.y A(H).sub.z (I)
• wherein R, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl and alkenyl groups containing 1 to 13 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl groups containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 is independently selected from aryl groups containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, four to six-membered heterocyclic carbon containing groups containing one to two hetero atoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur;
• hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, and mono- and dialkylaminoalkyl groups containing 2 to 13 carbon atoms, M.sup.a is a group iv metal selected from silicon, carbon, germanium and tin, A is selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen, x and y independently have values from zero to two and z has a value of one or two
• (B) a compound represented by the formula
• [(R.sup.3).sub.x (RR.sup.1 R.sup.2 M.sup.a).sub.y A(H).sub.z ].sub.w M.sup.b (II)
• wherein R, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl and alkenyl groups containing 1 to 13 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl groups containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 is independently selected from alkyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and alkylene groups containing 2 to 5 carbon atoms, aryl groups containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, four to six-membered heterocyclic carbon containing groups containing one to two hetero atoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur;
• hydroxyalkyl groups and alkoxyalkyl groups containing 2 to 13 carbon atoms and mono- and dialkylaminoalkyl groups containing 2 to 13 carbon atoms;
• M.sup.a is a group iv metal selected from silicon, carbon, germanium, and tin;
• A is selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen;
• M.sup.b is selected from lithium, sodium, potassium and magnesium;
• x and y independently have values from zero to two and z has a value of zero or one and w has a value of 1 or 2;
• (C) a compound represented by the formula
• (RR.sup.1 R.sup.2 M.sup.a).sub.y A(R.sup.3).sub.x (III)
• wherein R, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl and alkenyl groups containing 1 to 13 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl groups containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 is independently selected from alkyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms and alkylene groups containing 2 to 5 carbon atoms aryl groups containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, four to six-membered heterocyclic carbon containing groups containing one to two hetero atoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur;
• hydroxyalkyl groups and alkoxyalkyl groups containing 2 to 13 carbon atoms and mono- and dialkylaminoalkyl groups containing 2 to 13 carbon atoms;
• M.sup.a is selected from silicon, carbon, germanium, and tin, A is selected from oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen, and x and y independently have values from zero to three, and;
• (D) mixtures of (A) , (B) , and (C) above.