A Bi-component Cu catalyst for the direct synthesis of methylchlorosilane from silicon and methyl chloride

A bi-component catalyst comprising CuCl and metallic copper was used in the direct synthesis of methylchlorosilane to study the catalytic synergy between the different copper sources. The catalyst exhibited high activity and high selectivity of dimethyldichlorosilane (M2) in the stirred bed reactor. The effect of the proportion of CuCl used was studied and 10%-30% CuCl gave the best yield of M2. The use of CuCl decreased the induction period of reaction, improved the selectivity in the induction stage, and gave a longer stable stage. These results suggest that bi-component catalyst has advantages in the direct synthesis reaction.