Iron achieves noble metal reactivity and selectivity: highly reactive and enantioselective iron complexes as catalysts in the hydrosilylation of ketones

Tim Bleith; Hubert Wadepohl; Lutz H Gade

doi:10.1021/ja512986m

Iron achieves noble metal reactivity and selectivity: highly reactive and enantioselective iron complexes as catalysts in the hydrosilylation of ketones

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 Feb 25;137(7):2456-9. doi: 10.1021/ja512986m. Epub 2015 Feb 13.

Authors

Tim Bleith¹, Hubert Wadepohl, Lutz H Gade

Affiliation

¹ Anorganisch-Chemisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg , Im Neuenheimer Feld 270, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

PMID: 25659289
DOI: 10.1021/ja512986m

Abstract

Chiral iron alkyl and iron alkoxide complexes bearing boxmi pincers as stereodirecting ligands have been employed as catalysts for enantioselective hydrosilylation reactions with unprecedented activity and selectivity (TOF = 240 h(-1) at -40 °C, ee up to 99% for alkyl aryl ketones), which match the performance of previously established noble-metal-based catalysts. This shows the potential of earth-abundant metals such as iron for replacing platinum--metals without any drawbacks for the reaction design.