Expanding the scope of bis(catecholato)germane catalysis: hydrosilylation, hydroboration, Friedel-Crafts alkylation and oligomerization.

Abstract

Various applications of bis(catecholato)germanes in catalysis were examined. The hydrosilylation of benzaldehydes, hydroboration of phenylacetylene derivatives, and Friedel-Crafts alkylation using arylalkenes and either diphenylamine or anisole was achieved. Furthermore, the recently reported oligomerization of α-methylstyrene catalyzed by bis(catecholato)germanes with weak donor ligands was examined further. The formation of a trimer species was observed in DCM. VTNA and Hammett analyses of the oligomerization reaction were conducted and an updated mechanism for bis(catecholato)germane catalysis is proposed.