| abstract |
The silahydrocarbon product containing at least 75 weight percent of saturated silahydrocarbons with the remainder being unsaturated silahydrocarbons is produced by a process in which admixture comprising (A) at least one alpha-olefin containing from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms per molecule, and (B) at least one alkylsilane selected from the group consisting of (i) a dialkylsilane having the formula R-SiH2-R1 (ii) a trialkylsilane having the formula R-Si-H-(R1)2 and (iii) mixtures thereof, wherein R and R1, the same or different, each represent an alkyl radical of from one to 20 carbon atoms per molecule with a catalyst comprising a homogeneous rhodium-containing catalyst or a heterogeneous rhodium-containing catalyst in a halogen-free inert solvent, under hydrosilylation reaction conditions to produce a mixture containing saturated and unsaturated silane hydrocarbons useful as lubricants. The unsaturated silane hydrocarbons can be substituted with sulfur to provide improved lubricating characteristics. |