In
this work, we investigated the potential use of high-consistency
silicone rubber (SR), which is a synthetic solid material used in
numerous industrial applications, to produce a range of liquid alkoxysiloxane
derivatives R(OSiMe2)
x
OR, with x = 1 (P
1
), 2 (P
2
), 3 (P
3
), and 4 (P
4
). We describe
a simple and convenient solvothermal alcoholysis method for the chemical
recycling of post-consumer SR in the presence of fatty alcohols under
catalyst-free or catalytic conditions. This process proceeds easily
both without and with a catalyst. Alkali-metal aryloxides supported
by a methylsalicylato ligand (MesalO) gave the highest conversions
of SR to products P
1
–P
4
. Magnesium and zinc aryloxides
enabled efficient conversions of products P
2
–P
4
to P
1
. Binary metal catalysts of general
formula [M2M′2(MesalO)6] (M
= Mg or Zn; M′ = Li, Na, or K), which had a combination of
the catalytic properties shown by alkali-metal aryloxides and magnesium/zinc
aryloxides, were produced and used to synthesize P
1
–P
4
. The results show that magnesium–sodium/potassium aryloxides
had the best catalytic activities. Their use led to the formation
of two dominant products, namely, P
1
and P
2
, with conversion
yields of 79 and 17%, respectively. Particular emphasis is placed
on the operating conditions and high activity of the catalyst used.
Key factors that affect the catalytic activity and reaction mechanism
are also highlighted.