Organoleads organotin hydrides

Many reactions have been carried out with the help of organic hydrides of the elements of the main group IV (except lead) which have resulted in the synthesis of new groups of compounds. Organotin hydrides were found to be especially versatile 189). The reactivity of organolead hydrides has presented a challenging problem that has only been recently solved. Some... 

Organolead hydrides are more reactive towards C=C and C=C bonds than are the corresponding tin hydrides. Therefore, it is very easy to add lead hydrides completely to unsaturated compounds by placing the latter into the mixture of RsPbX and organotin hydrides. Compare Section III, D,2. An analogous exchange of vinyl and hydrogen... 

Radical formers as catalysts were of no help they mostly accelerated the decomposition of Bu3PbH. Also catalysis by aluminum alkyls 189,201), used for the addition of organotin hydrides to olefins, is not useful because the transfer of an alkyl group to RjPbH depends upon the necessary addition of R2AIH to the olefin 189, 284) at 20° C (which is the limit for the stability of the organolead compounds used) and this does not take place. 

The exchange reaction between organotin hydrides and organolead salts has also proved a useful synthesis for organolead hydrides39. 

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