Method of making dialkali metal silanolates and siloxanolates

Abstract

Dialkali metal organosilanolate and dialkali metal organosiloxanolate salts are manufactured from cyclic siloxanes or linear silicone polymers using a heterogeneous interfacial reaction process. A stoichiometric excess of an alkali metal hydroxide such as potassium hydroxide or an alkali metal oxide as a solid or dissolved or dispersed in a compatible solvent, is prepared and used as a first phase. The cyclic siloxane or linear silicone polymer is placed in a second phase either dissolved or dispersed in another solvent which is immiscible with the first phase. The resulting silanolate and siloxanolate salts can be used as monomers for solid-liquid phase and liquid-liquid phase interfacial polymerization or in a polycondensation process for the synthesis of alternating siloxane polymers. They can also be used as ring opening initiators for the base catalyzed polymerization of cyclic siloxanes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.