Abstract: A method for recovering organic ether solvent and alkali metal fluoride from a slurry thereof such as may be formed as a byproduct in silane manufacture. First water is added to a slurry having an organic ether liquid phase and a finely-divided solid phase comprising an alkali metal fluoride. The water is added in an amount sufficiently large to reduce adherence of organic ether to the solid phase and sufficiently small not to create a discernable separate aqueous liquid phase. The slurry with added water is maintained at a treatment temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. for a treatment period of at least one minute, typically 15-30 minutes at 90.degree.-110.degree. C. Thereafter, the treated slurry is seaparated into a crude fluoride solid and an ether liquid suitable for direct recycle or recycle after simple further treatment.

Abstract: Silicon tetrafluoride is reacted with sodium hydride in a cyclic ether reaction medium such as tetrahydrofuran or 1,4-dioxane or in dimethoxyethane. Sodium aluminum hydride is dissolved in the solvent and catalyzes the reaction in amounts of 4-25%, by weight of combined sodium hydride and sodium aluminum hydride.

Abstract: A silicon halide such as silicon tetrafluoride is reacted with an agitated slurry of an alkali metal hydride such as sodium hydride in a liquid which includes a diaryl ether such as diphenyl ether. At elevated temperatures such as 250.degree.-260.degree. C., complete conversion of the silicon tetrahalide to silane is observed, even with contact times under two seconds.