Patent ID: 7612222

Claim:
A process for the redistribution of linear hydroxy endblocked polyorganosiloxanes, linear chloro-endblocked polyorganosiloxanes, and mixtures thereof, comprising: contacting (i) a linear hydroxy endblocked polyorganosiloxane having Formula I: (ii) a chloro-endblocked polyorganosiloxane having Formula II: or (iii) a mixture of (i) and (ii) with (iv) a diorganodichlorosilane having the formula R′ 2 SiCl 2 in the presence of a catalyst to form a redistributed mixture comprising cyclic polyorganosiloxanes and chloro-endblocked polyorganosiloxanes having Formula II; wherein x and y represent integers having a value of 1-5,000 and R′, R1, and R2 represent alkyl groups containing 1-8 carbon atoms; and wherein the catalyst comprises aqueous hydrochloric acid and it is present in an amount of 0.1-70 percent by weight based on the weight of the linear hydroxy endblocked polyorganosiloxanes, the linear chloro-endblocked polyorganosiloxanes, and the diorganodichlorosilanes; and the aqueous HCl catalyst contains saturated concentrations of HCl at the temperature and pressure conditions at which the redistribution is conducted.