The thermolysis of gaseous Si2OCl6 leads to a mixture of higher chlorosiloxanes with up to 8 silicon atoms per molecule. The unexpected formation of larger molecules from smaller ones by high temperature pyrolysis is due to three basic reactions: a) Formation of highly reactive 0 = S iC l2 as an intermediate, b) insertion of 0= S iC l2 into Si-Cl bonds (growth reaction), and c) thermally induced elimination of SiCl4 from chlorosiloxanes formed in (b). Temperature and time dependencies of the thermolysis have been investigated and are discussed.