Selective Double Hydrosilylation of Nitriles Catalyzed by an Iron Complex Containing Indium Trihalide

Abstract

AbstractSelective double hydrosilylation was achieved by using tertiary and secondary silanes with an excess amount of an organonitrile (RC≡N; R=alkyl, aryl) in the presence of a catalytic amount of triirondodecacarbonyl [Fe3(CO)12] and indium trichloride (InCl3). This reaction was also catalyzed by an iron complex containing indium trihalide [Fe(MeCN)6][Fe(CO)4(InX3)2], prepared by the reaction of Fe3(CO)12 with InX3 (X=Cl, Br, I). This is a novel report of the combination of a transition‐metal complex and an indium source in organic synthesis.