Patent ID: 8865927

Claim:
A method of preparing a diorganodihalosilane, the method comprising the following separate and consecutive steps: (a) treating a metal catalyst comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of i) gold, ii) gold and copper, iii) gold, copper and magnesium, iv) copper, rhodium and gold, v) copper, rhodium, and rhenium, vi) rhenium and palladium, vii) copper, and viii) copper and magnesium with a mixture comprising hydrogen gas and an organotrihalosilane at a temperature from 500 to 1400° C. to form a silicon-containing metal intermediate; and (b) reacting the silicon-containing metal intermediate with an organohalide according to the formula RX, wherein R is C 1 -C 10 hydrocarbyl and X is halo, at a temperature from 100 to 600° C. to form a diorganodihalosilane and a depleted silicon-containing metal intermediate.