Reduction of ketones with silanes catalysed by a cyclopentadienyl- functionalised N-heterocyclic iron complex

Article abstract of DOI:10.1007/s10562-013-1081-8

The well-defined piano-stool iron(II) complex (Cp-NHC)Fe(CO)I bearing a bidentate cyclopentadienyl-functionalised N-heterocyclic carbene ligand is shown to catalyse the reduction of ketones under mild conditions (1-2 h at room temperature) when combined with catalytic amounts of potassium tert-butoxide, and using Ph₂SiH₂ and the inexpensive and less reactive polymethylhydrosiloxane as reducing agents. The stoichiometric reaction of (Cp-NHC)Fe(CO)I with potassium tert-butoxide generates an iron-hydroxo complex, which seems to be the active species in the reduction of ketones.