Alkyl-silicate-containing organosilicon compounds containing at least 90% by weight, preferably at least 95% by weight, of alkyl silicates of average formula [SiO 4/2]a[ (R x O)SiO 3/2]b[ (R y O)SiO 3/2]b '[(R x O) 2 SiO 2/2]c [(R x O)(R y O)SiO 2/2]c '[(R y O) 2 SiO 2/2]c "[(R x O) 3 SiOi /2]d [(R x O) 2 (R y O)SiO 1/2] d '[(R x O)(R y O) 2 SiO 1/2] d " [(R y O) 3 SiO 1/2] d ′′′, wherein the indices a, b, b', c, c', c", d, d', d", d′′′ indicate the average content of the respective structural unit in the compound and are each independently a number within a range from 0 to 100 000, with the proviso that the sum of the indices is at least 2; and wherein the radicals R x are each independently selected from radicals that meet at least one of the following conditions: (a) R x is a substituted or unsubstituted, C 4 -C 20 hydrocarbon radical that is branched at the α-carbon atom, (b) R x is a substituted or unsubstituted, C 5 -C 20 hydrocarbon radical that is doubly branched at the β-carbon atom, (c) R x is an unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl radical having a total of not more than 9 carbon atoms; and where substituted in each case means that the hydrocarbon radical has at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of vinyl radical, ethynyl radical, amino radical, epoxy radical, thiol radical, and carbinol radical; and wherein the radicals R y are each independently selected from the group consisting of (i) hydrogen, (ii) methyl radical, and (iii) ethyl radical; with the proviso that the molar proportion of all radicals R y in the silicate is within a range from 1 to 15 mol%, wherein the molar proportion for R y = (i) hydrogen is not more than 9 mol%, in each case based on the molar amount of the sum of all radicals R x and R y, and with the proviso that the alkyl-silicate-containing organosilicon compounds contain no SiC-bonded radicals. wherein the indices a, b, b', c, c', c", d, d', d", d′′′ indicate the average content of the respective structural unit in the compound and are each independently a number within a range from 0 to 100 000, with the proviso that the sum of the indices is at least 2; and wherein the radicals R x are each independently selected from radicals that meet at least one of the following conditions: (a) R x is a substituted or unsubstituted, C 4 -C 20 hydrocarbon radical that is branched at the α-carbon atom, (b) R x is a substituted or unsubstituted, C 5 -C 20 hydrocarbon radical that is doubly branched at the β-carbon atom, (c) R x is an unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl radical having a total of not more than 9 carbon atoms; (a) R x is a substituted or unsubstituted, C 4 -C 20 hydrocarbon radical that is branched at the α-carbon atom, (b) R x is a substituted or unsubstituted, C 5 -C 20 hydrocarbon radical that is doubly branched at the β-carbon atom, (c) R x is an unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl radical having a total of not more than 9 carbon atoms; and where substituted in each case means that the hydrocarbon radical has at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of vinyl radical, ethynyl radical, amino radical, epoxy radical, thiol radical, and carbinol radical; and wherein the radicals R y are each independently selected from the group consisting of (i) hydrogen, (ii) methyl radical, and (iii) ethyl radical; with the proviso that the molar proportion of all radicals R y in the silicate is within a range from 1 to 15 mol%, wherein the molar proportion for R y = (i) hydrogen is not more than 9 mol%, in each case based on the molar amount of the sum of all radicals R x and R y, and with the proviso that the alkyl-silicate-containing organosilicon compounds contain no SiC-bonded radicals.