Advances in disilylation reactions to access cis/trans-1,2-disilylated and gem-disilylated alkenes

Organosilane compounds are widely used in both organic synthesis and materials science. Particularly, 1,2-disilylated and gem-disilylated alkenes, characterized by a carbon-carbon double bond and multiple silyl groups, exhibit significant potential for subsequently diverse transformations. The versatility of these compounds renders them highly promising for applications in materials, enabling them to be valuable and versatile building blocks in organic synthesis. This review provides a comprehensive summary of methods for the preparation of cis/trans-1,2-disilylated and gem-disilylated alkenes. Despite notable advancements in this field, certain limitations persist, including challenges related to regioselectivity in the incorporation and chemoselectivity in the transformation of two nearly identical silyl groups. The primary objective of this review is to outline synthetic methodologies for the generation of these alkenes through disilylation reactions, employing silicon reagents, specifically disilanes, hydrosilanes, and silylborane reagents. The review places particular emphasis on investigating the practical applications of the C-Si bond of disilylalkenes and delves into an in-depth discussion of reaction mechanisms, particularly those reactions involving the activation of Si-Si, Si-H, and Si-B bonds, as well as the C-Si bond formation.

Synthesis and catalytic activity of well-defined Co(I) complexes based on NHC-phosphane pincer ligands

A new methodology for the preparation of Co(I)-NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes, namely, [Co(PCNHCP)(CO)2][Co(CO)4] (1) and [Co(PCNHCP)(CO)2]BF4 (2), has been developed (PCNHCP = 1,3-bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)ethyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene). Both complexes can be straightforwardly prepared by direct reaction of their parent imidazolium salts with the Co(0) complex Co2(CO)8. Complex 1 efficiently catalyses the reductive amination of furfural and levulinic acid employing silanes as reducing agents under mild conditions. Furfural has been converted into a variety of secondary and tertiary amines employing dimethyl carbonate as the solvent, while levulinic acid has been converted into pyrrolidines under solventless conditions. Dehydrocoupling of the silane to give polysilanes has been observed to occur as a side reaction of the hydrosilylation process.

Hydrosilylation of Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by an Air-Stable Manganese-NHC Complex

In recent years, catalysis with base metal manganese has received a significant amount of interest. Catalysis with manganese complexes having N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) is relatively underdeveloped in comparison to the extensively investigated manganese catalysts possessing pincer ligands (particularly phosphine-based ligands). Herein, we describe the synthesis of two imidazolium salts decorated with picolyl arms (L₁ and L₂) as NHC precursors. Facile coordination of L₁ and L₂ with MnBr(CO)₅ in the presence of a base resulted in the formation manganese(I)-NHC complexes (1 and 2) as an air-stable solid in good isolated yield. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed the structure of the cationic complexes [Mn(CO)₃(NHC)][PF₆] with tridentate N,C,N binding of the NHC ligand in a facile fashion. Along with a few known manganese(I) complexes, these Mn(I)-NHC complexes 1 and 2 were tested for the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes. Complex 1 was proved to be an effective catalyst for the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes with good selectivity toward the less thermodynamically stable β-(Z)-vinylsilanes. This method provided good regioselectivity (anti-Markovnikov addition) and stereoselectivity (β-(Z)-product). Experimental evidence suggested that the present hydrosilylation pathway involved an organometallic mechanism with manganese(I)-silyl species as a possible reactive intermediate.

Divergent Access to Chiral C2- and C3-Alkylated Pyrrolidines by Catalyst-Tuned Regio- and Enantioselective C(sp3)-C(sp3) Coupling

Novel-substituted pyrrolidine derivatives are widely used in drugs and bioactive molecules. The efficient synthesis of these valuable skeletons, especially enantiopure derivatives, is still recognized as a key bottleneck to overcome in chemical synthesis. Herein, we report a highly efficient catalyst-tuned regio- and enantioselective hydroalkylation reaction for the divergent synthesis of chiral C2- and C3-alkylated pyrrolidines through desymmetrization of the readily available 3-pyrrolines. The catalytic system consists of CoBr₂ with a modified bisoxazoline (BOX) ligand, which can achieve the asymmetric C(sp³)-C(sp³) coupling via the distal stereocontrol, providing a series of C3-alkylated pyrrolidines in high efficiency. Moreover, the nickel catalytic system allows the enantioselective hydroalkylation to synthesize the C2-alkylated pyrrolidines through the tandem alkene isomerization/hydroalkylation reaction. This divergent method uses readily available catalysts, chiral BOX ligands, and reagents, delivering enantioenriched 2-/3-alkyl substituted pyrrolidines with excellent regio- and enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee). We also demonstrate the compatibility of this transformation with complex substrates derived from a series of drugs and bioactive molecules in good efficiency, which offers a distinct entry to more functionalized chiral N-heterocycles.

1,10-Phenanthroline-based periodic mesoporous organosilica: from its synthesis to its application in the cobalt-catalyzed alkyne hydrosilylation

1,10-Phenanthroline (Phen) is a typical ligand for metal complexation and various metal/Phen complexes have been applied as a catalyst in several organic transformations. This study reports the synthesis of a Phen-based periodic mesoporous organosilica (Phen-PMO) with the Phen moieties being directly incorporated into the organosilica framework. The Phen-PMO precursor, 3,8-bis[(triisopropoxysilyl)methyl]-1,10-phenanthroline (1a), was prepared via the Kumada-Tamao-Corriu cross-coupling of 3,8-dibromo-1,10-phenanthroline and [(triisopropoxysilyl)methyl]magnesium chloride. The co-condensation of 1a and 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane in the presence of P123 as the template surfactant afforded Phen-PMO 3 with an ordered 2-D hexagonal mesoporous structure as confirmed by nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, X-ray diffraction, and transition electron microscopy. Co(OAc)₂ was immobilized on Phen-PMO 3, and the obtained complex showed good catalytic activity for the hydrosilylation reaction of phenylacetylene with phenylsilane.

Hydrido-Cobalt Complexes for the Chemo- and Regioselective 1,2-Silylative Dearomatization of N-Heteroarenes

We describe an efficient regio- and chemoselective dearomatization of N-heteroarenes using hydrido-cobalt catalysts. Reactions were performed under mild conditions on a wide range of N-heteroarenes leading exclusively to the silyl-1,2-dihydroheteroarene. Various quinolines and pyridines bearing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents are compatible with this methodology. DFT calculations, NMR spectroscopic studies, and X-ray diffraction analysis underlined the importance of a second silane for the final step of the reaction.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Regiodivergent Double Hydrosilylation of Arylacetylenes

Double hydrosilylation of alkynes represents a straightforward method to synthesize bis(silane)s, yet it is challenging if α-substituted vinylsilanes act as the intermediates. Here, a cobalt-catalyzed regiodivergent double hydrosilylation of arylacetylenes is reported for the first time involving this challenge, accessing both vicinal and geminal bis(silane)s with exclusive regioselectivity. Various novel bis(silane)s containing Si-H bonds can be easily obtained. The gram-scale reactions could be performed smoothly. Preliminarily mechanistic studies demonstrated that the reactions were initiated by cobalt-catalyzed α-hydrosilylation of alkynes, followed by cobalt-catalyzed β-hydrosilylation of the α-vinylsilanes to deliver vicinal bis(silane)s, or hydride-catalyzed α-hydrosilylation to give geminal ones. Notably, these bis(silane)s can be used for the synthesis of high-refractive-index polymers (n_d up to 1.83), demonstrating great potential utility in optical materials.

Electrochemical recycling of homogeneous catalysts

Homogeneous catalysts have rapid kinetics and keen reaction selectivity. However, their widespread use for industrial catalysis has remained limited because of challenges in reusability. Here, we propose a redox-mediated electrochemical approach for catalyst recycling using metallopolymer-functionalized electrodes for binding and release. The redox platform was investigated for the separation of key platinum and palladium homogeneous catalysts used in organic synthesis and industrial chemical manufacturing. Noble metal catalysts for hydrosilylation, silane etherification, Suzuki cross-coupling, and Wacker oxidation were recycled electrochemically. The redox electrodes demonstrated high sorption uptake for platinum-based catalysts (Q_max up to 200 milligrams of platinum per gram of adsorbent) from product mixtures, with up to 99.5% recovery, while retaining full catalytic activity over multiple cycles. The combination of mechanistic studies and electronic structure calculations indicate that selective interactions with anionic intermediates during the catalytic cycle played a key role in the separations. Last, continuous flow cell studies support the scalability and favorable technoeconomics of electrochemical recycling.

Stereoselective Semi-Hydrogenations of Alkynes by First-Row (3d) Transition Metal Catalysts

The chemo- and stereoselective semi-hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes is a fundamental transformation in synthetic chemistry, for which the use of precious 4d or 5d metal catalysts is well-established. In mankind's unwavering quest for sustainability, research focus has considerably veered towards the 3d metals. Given their high abundancy and availability as well as lower toxicity and noxiousness, they are undoubtedly attractive from both an economic and an environmental perspective. Herein, we wish to present noteworthy and groundbreaking examples for the use of 3d metal catalysts for diastereoselective alkyne semi-hydrogenation as we embark on a journey through the first-row transition metals.

Palladium-catalyzed hydroboration reaction of unactivated alkynes with bis (pinacolato) diboron in water

A highly efficient and mild palladium-catalyzed hydroboration of unactivated internal alkynes in water is described. Both aryl- and alkyl-substituted alkynes proceeded smoothly within the reaction time to afford the desired vinylboronates in moderate to high yields. Bis (pinacolato) diboron was used to afford α- and β-hydroborated products in the presence of HOAc. These reactions showed high reactivities and tolerance, thus providing a promising method for the synthesis of alkenyl boron compounds.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Sequential Site- and Stereoselective Hydrosilylation of 1,3- and 1,4-Enynes

Catalytic sequential hydrosilylation of 1,3-enynes and 1,4-enynes promoted by cobalt complexes derived from bisphosphines are presented. Site- and stereoselective Si-H addition of primary silanes to 1,3-enynes followed by sequential intramolecular diastereo- and enantioselective Si-H addition afforded enantioenriched cyclic alkenylsilanes with simultaneous construction of a carbon-stereogenic center and a silicon-stereogenic center. Reactions of 1,4-enynes proceeded through sequential isomerization of the alkene moiety followed by site- and stereoselective hydrosilylation. A wide range of alkenylsilanes were afforded in high efficiency and selectivity. Functionalization of the enantioenriched silanes containing a stereogenic center at silicon delivered a variety of chiral building blocks that are otherwise difficult to access.

Hydroelementation of diynes

This review highlights the hydroelementation reactions of conjugated and separated diynes, which depending on the process conditions, catalytic system, as well as the type of reagents, leads to the formation of various products: enynes, dienes, allenes, polymers, or cyclic compounds. The presence of two triple bonds in the diyne structure makes these compounds important reagents but selective product formation is often difficult owing to problems associated with maintaining appropriate reaction regio- and stereoselectivity. Herein we review this topic to gain knowledge on the reactivity of diynes and to systematise the range of information relating to their use in hydroelementation reactions. The review is divided according to the addition of the E-H (E = Mg, B, Al, Si, Ge, Sn, N, P, O, S, Se, Te) bond to the triple bond(s) in the diyne, as well as to the type of the reagent used, and the product formed. Not only are the hydroelementation reactions comprehensively discussed, but the synthetic potential of the obtained products is also presented. The majority of published research is included within this review, illustrating the potential as well as limitations of these processes, with the intent to showcase the power of these transformations and the obtained products in synthesis and materials chemistry.

Regiodivergent hydrosilylation in the nickel(0)-catalyzed cyclization of 1,6-enynes

The divergent nickel(0)-catalyzed hydrosilylation/cyclization of 1,6-enynes has been developed, providing an efficient synthetic route for vinyl silanes or alkyl silanes from the same starting materials.

Mechanism and origin of the stereoselectivity of manganese-catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkynes: a DFT study

The mechanism and origin of the stereodivergent mononuclear Mn(CO)5Br and binuclear Mn2(CO)10 catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkynes have been investigated and compared.

Inorganometallics (Transition Metal-Metalloid Complexes) and Catalysis

While the formation and breaking of transition metal (TM)–carbon bonds plays a pivotal role in the catalysis of organic compounds, the reactivity of inorganometallic species, that is, those involving the transition metal (TM)–metalloid (E) bond, is of key importance in most conversions of metalloid derivatives catalyzed by TM complexes. This Review presents the background of inorganometallic catalysis and its development over the last 15 years. The results of mechanistic studies presented in the Review are related to the occurrence of TM–E and TM–H compounds as reactive intermediates in the catalytic transformations of selected metalloids (E = B, Si, Ge, Sn, As, Sb, or Te). The Review illustrates the significance of inorganometallics in catalysis of the following processes: addition of metalloid–hydrogen and metalloid–metalloid bonds to unsaturated compounds; activation and functionalization of C–H bonds and C–X bonds with hydrometalloids and bismetalloids; activation and functionalization of C–H bonds with vinylmetalloids, metalloid halides, and sulfonates; and dehydrocoupling of hydrometalloids. This first Review on inorganometallic catalysis sums up the developments in the catalytic methods for the synthesis of organometalloid compounds and their applications in advanced organic synthesis as a part of tandem reactions.

Cobalt-catalyzed alkyne hydrosilylation as a new frontier to selectively access silyl-hydrocarbons

The hydrosilylation of alkynes is a chief chemical method for accessing a range of alkenylsilanes, which can be derivatized to obtain value-added hydrocarbons and utilized in diverse applications. While noble metal-based catalytic procedures have shown great success in accessing vinylsilanes within the context of both academia and industry, replacing the noble metals with cheaper and more abundant base metals has recently drawn significant interest due to their catalytic sustainability and competencies including unprecedented reactivity that could expand chemical tools for accessing other types of silicon-containing hydrocarbons. During the past few years, a number of well-defined, robust cobalt-catalyst platforms that broadly operate either the Chalk-Harrod or a modified Chalk-Harrod mechanism have emerged as a new frontier in the field of selective alkyne hydrosilylation. This review describes the main features of cobalt catalyst systems recently documented for the hydrosilylation of alkynes with a strong emphasis on ligand design and reaction pathways involving Co-H and/or Co-silyl species-mediated elementary transformations to achieve Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov hydrosilylations as well as new migratory transformations.

Rh(I)/(III)-N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: Effect of Steric Confinement Upon Immobilization on Regio- and Stereoselectivity in the Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

Rh(I) NHC and Rh(III) Cp* NHC complexes (Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene=pyrid-2-ylimidazol-2-ylidene (Py-Im), thiophen-2-ylimidazol-2-ylidene) are presented. Selected catalysts were selectively immobilized inside the mesopores of SBA-15 with average pore diameters of 5.0 and 6.2 nm. Together with their homogenous progenitors, the immobilized catalysts were used in the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes. For aromatic alkynes, both the neutral and cationic Rh(I) complexes showed excellent reactivity with exclusive formation of the β(E)-isomer. For aliphatic alkynes, however, selectivity of the Rh(I) complexes was low. By contrast, the neutral and cationic Rh(III) Cp* NHC complexes proved to be highly regio- and stereoselective catalysts, allowing for the formation of the thermodynamically less stable β-(Z)-vinylsilane isomers at room temperature. Notably, the SBA-15 immobilized Rh(I) catalysts, in which the pore walls provide an additional confinement, showed excellent β-(Z)-selectivity in the hydrosilylation of aliphatic alkynes, too. Also, in the case of 4-aminophenylacetylene, selective formation of the β(Z)-isomer was observed with a neutral SBA-15 supported Rh(III) Cp* NHC complex but not with its homogenous counterpart. These are the first examples of high β(Z)-selectivity in the hydrosilylation of alkynes by confinement generated upon immobilization inside mesoporous silica.

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Stereo- and Regioselective Hydrosilylation of Unsymmetrical Alkynes

Alkyne hydrosilylation is one of the most efficient methods for the synthesis of alkenyl silicon derivatives and has been a hot topic of research for decades. This short review summarizes the progress in transition-metal-catalyzed stereo- and regioselective hydrosilylation of unsymmetrical alkynes. Topics are discussed based on different types of alkynes and the selectivities.

1 Introduction

2 Terminal Alkyne Hydrosilylation

2.1 β-E Selectivity

2.2 β-Z Selectivity

2.3 α-selectivity

3 Internal Alkyne Hydrosilylation

3.1 Aryl–Alkyl Acetylenes

3.2 Alkyl–Alkyl Acetylenes

3.3 Internal Alkynes with Polarized Substituents

4 Summary and Outlook

Markovnikov Hydrosilylation of Alkynes with Tertiary Silanes Catalyzed by Dinuclear Cobalt Carbonyl Complexes with NHC Ligation

Metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkynes is an ideal atom-economic method to prepare vinylsilanes that are useful reagents in the organic synthesis and silicone industry. Although great success has been made in the preparation of β-vinylsilanes by metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation reactions of alkynes, reported metal-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of α-vinylsilanes suffer from narrow substrate scope and/or poor selectivity. Herein, we present selective Markovnikov hydrosilylation reactions of terminal alkynes with tertiary silanes using a dicobalt carbonyl N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex [(IPr)₂Co₂(CO)₆] (IPr = 1,3-di(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) as catalyst. This cobalt catalyst effects the hydrosilylation of both alkyl- and aryl-substituted terminal alkynes with a variety of tertiary silanes with good functional group compatibility, furnishing α-vinylsilanes with high yields and high α/β selectivity. Mechanistic study revealed that the stoichiometric reactions of [(IPr)₂Co₂(CO)₆] with PhC≡CH and HSiEt₃ can furnish the dinuclear cobalt alkyne and mononuclear cobalt silyl complexes [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₃], [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₂(IPr)], and [(IPr)Co(CO)₃(SiEt₃)], respectively. Both dicobalt bridging alkyne complexes can react with HSiEt₃ to yield α-triethylsilyl styrene and effect the catalytic Markovnikov hydrosilylation reaction. However, the mono(NHC) dicobalt complex [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₃] exhibits higher catalytic activity over the di(NHC)-dicobalt complexes. The cobalt silyl complex [(IPr)Co(CO)₃(SiEt₃)] is ineffective in catalyzing the hydrosilylation reaction. Deuterium labeling experiments with PhC≡CD and DSiEt₃ indicates the syn-addition nature of the hydrosilylation reaction. The absence of deuterium scrambling in the hydrosilylation products formed from the catalytic reaction of PhC≡CH with a mixture of DSiEt₃ and HSi(OEt)₃ hints that mononuclear cobalt species are less likely the in-cycle species. These observations, in addition to the evident of nonsymmetric Co₂C₂-butterfly core in the structure of [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₃], point out that mono(IPr)-dicobalt species are the genuine catalysts for the cobalt-catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction and that the high α selectivity of the catalytic system originates from the joint play of the dicobalt carbonyl species to coordinate alkynes in the Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCR')Co mode and the steric demanding nature of IPr ligand.

Cobalt-Catalyzed One-Pot Asymmetric Difunctionalization of Alkynes to Access Chiral gem-(Borylsilyl)alkanes

Enantioselective cobalt-catalyzed one-pot hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes has been developed employing a cobalt catalyst generated from Co(acac)₂ and (R,R)-Me-Ferrocelane. A variety of terminal alkynes undergo this asymmetric transformation, affording the corresponding gem-(borylsilyl)alkane products with high enantioselectivity (up to 98 % ee). This one-pot reaction combines (E)-selective hydrosilylation of alkynes and consecutive enantioselective hydroboration of (E)-vinylsilanes with one chiral cobalt catalyst. This protocol represents the most straightforward approach to access versatile chiral gem-(borylsilyl)alkanes from readily available alkynes with commercially available cobalt salt and chiral ligand.

(Z)-Selective Hydrosilylation and Hydroboration of Terminal Alkynes Enabled by Ruthenium Complexes with an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligand

Metal-catalyzed trans-1,2-hydrosilylations and hydroborations of terminal alkynes that generate synthetically valuable (Z)-alkenylsilanes and (Z)-alkenylboranes remain challenging due to the (E)-selective nature of the reactions and the formation of the thermodynamically unfavorable (Z)-isomer. The development of new, efficient catalytic systems for the (Z)-selective hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes is thus highly desirable from a fundamental perspective as it would deepen our understanding of the metal-catalyzed (Z)-selective hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes. This personal account describes our research for developing a ruthenium complex that can efficiently catalyze the hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes, and for exploring the factors controlling (Z)-selectivity of the reactions. Our effort into the activation of B-protected boronic acids, R-B(dan) (dan=naphthalene-1,8-diaminato), that was believed not to participate in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, is also discussed.

Experimental and Computational Studies of the Iron-Catalyzed Selective and Controllable Defluorosilylation of Unactivated Aliphatic gem-Difluoroalkenes

The first iron-catalyzed defluorosilylation of unactivated gem-difluoroalkenes was developed, delivering gem-disilylated alkenes and (E)-silylated alkenes with excellent efficiency. This protocol features good functional group compatibility and excellent regio- and stereoselectivity, enabling the late-stage silylation of biologically relevant compounds, thus providing good opportunities for applications in medicinal chemistry. Preliminary mechanistic studies and DFT calculations reveal that a nucleophilic addition and elimination of the second C-F bond might be involved in the disilylation catalytic system, demonstrating unusual reactivity characteristics of iron catalysis.

Schiff Base Cobalt(II) Complex-Catalyzed Highly Markovnikov-Selective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

A bench-stable cobalt(II) complex, with 3N-donor socket-type benzimidazole-imine-2H-imidazole ligand is reported as a precatalyst for regioselective hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes. Both aromatic and aliphatic alkynes could be effectively hydrosilylated with primary, secondary, and tertiary silane to give α-vinylsilanes in high yields with excellent Markovnikov selectivity and extensive functional-group tolerance. Catalyst loading varies within 0.5–0.05 mol %, which is one of the most efficient reported so far in the literature on cobalt-catalyzed alkyne hydrosilylation.

Recent Advances in Catalytic Hydrosilylations: Developments beyond Traditional Platinum Catalysts

Hydrosilylation reactions, which allow the addition of Si-H to C=C/C≡C bonds, are typically catalyzed by homogeneous noble metal catalysts (Pt, Rh, Ir, and Ru). Although excellent activity and selectivity can be obtained, the price, purification, and metal residues of these precious catalysts are problems in the silicone industry. Thus, a strong interest in more sustainable catalysts and for more economic processes exists. In this respect, recently disclosed hydrosilylations using catalysts based on earth-abundant transition metals, for example, Fe, Co, Ni, and Mn, and heterogeneous catalysts (supported nanoparticles and single-atom sites) are noteworthy. This minireview describes the recent advances in this field.

A robust heterogeneous Co-MOF catalyst in azide–alkyne cycloaddition and Friedel–Crafts reactions as well as hydrosilylation of alkynes

A robust Co(ii) MOF with high stability was prepared to promote the azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction, Friedel–Crafts reactions of indoles and hydrosilylation reactions of alkynes.

Highly regio- and stereo-selective heterogeneous 1,3-diyne hydrosilylation controlled by a nickel-metalated porous organic polymer

A porous organic polymer (POL-xantphos) was synthesized and employed as a heterogeneous ligand for nickel catalyzed highly regio- and stereo-selective 1,3-diyne hydrosilylation.

Supported Ni nanoparticles with a phosphine ligand as an efficient heterogeneous non-noble metal catalytic system for regioselective hydrosilylation of alkynes

A convenient and effective heterogeneous non-noble metal catalytic system for regioselective hydrosilylation of alkynes was successfully developed by the combination of Ni/Al2O3 with a xantphos ligand. The resulting catalytic system displayed excellent catalytic performance in the heterogeneous hydrosilylation of PhSiH3 with a wide range of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes, affording the corresponding (E)-vinylsilanes in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivity.

Dehydrogenative Coupling of Terminal Alkynes with O/N-Based Monohydrosilanes Catalyzed by Rare-Earth Metal Complexes

Newly synthesized rare-earth metal alkyl complexes bearing a tripyrrolyl ligand act as excellent precatalysts for the cross-dehydrogenative coupling between various terminal alkynes and O/N-based monohydrosilanes of HSi(OEt)₃/HSi(NMe₂)₃, leading to the formation of a variety of alkoxysilylalkyne and aminosilylalkyne derivatives in good to high yields. The precatalysts LRE(CH₂SiMe₃)(thf)₂ (RE = Y(1a), Er(1b), Yb(1c), L = 2,5-[(2-C₄H₃N)CPh₂]₂(C₄H₂NMe), thf = tetrahydrofuran) were easily prepared in high yields via the reactions of RE(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(thf)₂ with the proligand H₂L in a single step. Mechanistic studies reveal that treatment of 1 with phenylacetylene could generate the active catalytic species: dinuclear rare-earth metal alkynides (L(thf)_n[RE(μ-C≡CPh)]₂L) (RE = Y(5a), n = 1; Yb(5c), n = 0), which could react with HSi(OEt)₃ to produce the coupling product 4aa and the dinuclear rare-earth metal hydrides (L (thf)[RE(μ-H)]₂L) (RE = Y(6a); Yb(6c)). By contrast, prior treatment of 1c with HSi(OEt)₃ proceeds via cleavage of the Si-O bond to produce the dinuclear ytterbium alkoxide (LYb(μ-OEt))₂ 7c, which is inert in the dehydrogenative coupling reaction. The results of the mechanistic studies are consistent with the observation that the reaction is greatly influenced by the addition sequence of precatalyst/alkynes/silanes.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Reductive C-O Bond Cleavage of Lignin β-O-4 Ketone Models via In Situ Generation of the Cobalt-Boryl Species

An efficient and mild method for reductive C-O bond cleavage of lignin β-O-4 ketone models was developed to afford the corresponding ketones and phenols with PDI-CoCl₂ as the precatalyst and diboron reagent as the reductant. The synthetic utility of the methodology was demonstrated by depolymerization of a polymeric model and gram-scale transformation. Mechanistic studies suggested that this transformation involves steps of carbonyl insertion, 1,2-Brook type rearrangement, β-oxygen elimination, and rate-limiting regeneration of the catalytic active Co-B species.

Iron-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrosilylation of Vinylcyclopropanes via Stereospecific C-C Bond Cleavage

An iron-catalyzed highly anti-Markovnikov selective, enantioselective hydrosilylation of vinylcyclopropanes with PhSiH₃ was reported for the preparation of valuable chiral allylic silanes via stereospecific C-C bond cleavage. Simultaneously, difficultly prepared chiral VCPs could be also obtained with moderate to excellent enantioselectivity via this kinetic resolution pathway. The chiral Z-allylic silanes could be converted to various chiral allylic derivatives. A possible mechanism via an iron-silyl species was proposed based on experimental and computational studies.

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Iron-catalyzed 1,5-hydrosilylation of VCPs via C-C bond cleavage was first established

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Chiral allyl silanes and chiral VCPs were obtained with high enantioselectivity

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Various chiral allylic derivatives were delivered from chiral Z-allylic silanes

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A possible mechanism via an iron-silyl species was proposed