Catalytic, Metal-Free Functionalization of Si-H Bonds

Si–H bond activation is usually considered a domain of transition-metal complexes, and only few metal-free systems have proven suitable for this task. In this talk, I will present new metal-free methods for the activation of Si–H bonds that were recently developed in our group. We have now found new Lewis acid catalyzed methodology for selective chlorination of R_3-nSiH_n (n = 1-3, R = Alk, Ar) into corresponding chlorosilanes using HCl and (C₆F₅)₃B·OEt₂ as catalyst. In addition, we found that ethers (R`<sub>2</sub>O) can be cleaved catalytically in presence of silanes and catalytic amount of (C<sub>6</sub>F<sub>5</sub>)<sub>3</sub>B·OEt<sub>2</sub> leading to alkoxy-silanes (R`O-SiR₃) and the corresponding alkanes (R`). The mechanisms for these reactions were studied both experimentally and theoretically and will be presented as well.