Synthesis of Silicon Derivatives with Ruthenium Catalysts

Abstract

Methods for synthesis of saturated and unsaturated organosilicon compounds as well as other silicon derivatives based on ruthenium-catalyzed reactions have been reviewed. All the catalytic processes discussed lead to formation of either novel carbon–silicon bonds or novel carbon–carbon bonds affected by a substituted silyl group at carbon. Saturated organosilicon products can be prepared via hydrosilylation of alkenes and activation of the C–H bond of arenes, alkenes and triethylsilane. Linear unsaturated organosilicon compounds are usually prepared via hydrosilylation of alkynes, alkene self-metathesis and cross-metathesis and related metathetical transformations as well as silylative coupling of alkenes with vinylsilanes and coupling of arenes and alkenes with silylalkynes. On the other hand, cyclic unsaturated organosilicon compounds have been described as having been synthesized via intramolecular hydrosilylation of silylalkynes as well as ring-closing metathesis reactions and condensation of silicon-containing dienes (and enynes). Other silicon derivatives containing mostly Si–X–C bonds (where X is O or N) can be successfully prepared by ruthenium-catalyzed reactions of hydrosilylation, silylformylation, silylcarbonylation and dehydrocondensation of the respective initial silicon compounds. The final subchapter contains a brief overview of catalytic methods for synthesizing organosilicon polymers.