Silyl Radical as an Isocyanide Transfer Agent for Giese-Type Reactions Involving Aliphatic Amines

Herein we report silyl radicals serve as isocyanide transfer agents for Giese-type reaction from aliphatic amines and electron-deficient olefins. α-Primary, α-secondary, and sterically encumbered α-tertiary primary amines could be easily converted into isocyanides for coupling with electron-deficient olefins by employing latent silyl radicals under visible light irradiation. Notably, the abstraction of silane-mediated isocyanide not only enables voltage-independent activation of strong C-N bonds but also represents a mechanistic alternative Giese-type reaction in which single electron reduction and protonation processes are replaced by direct hydrogen atom transfer. This transformation occurs under photoinduced catalyst-free conditions and exhibits excellent functional group compatibility and mild reaction conditions.

Catalyst-free visible light-promoted defunctionalization of alkyl isocyanides with a hydrosilane through C-N bond cleavage

A radical initiator-free defunctionalization reaction of alkyl isocyanides with a hydrosilane has been established through C-N bond cleavage under catalyst-free visible light irradiation. Various alkyl isocyanides participated in the defunctionalization with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane under blue light irradiation at room temperature, delivering the reduced products in good yields with high chemoselectivity.

Copper(ii)-catalyzed highly regio- and stereo-selective hydrosilylation of unactivated internal alkynes with silylborate in water

The hydrosilylation of internal alkynes with Me₂PhSiBpin catalyzed by Cu(OTf)₂ in water provided multisubstituted vinylsilanes in high regio- and stereoselectivities.