Transition-metal-catalyzed silicon-based

Transition metal-catalyzed silicon-based cross-coupling reaction has emerged as a versatile carbon-carbon bond-forming process with high stereocontrol and excellent functional group tolerance [35], For example, (a-benzoyloxy)alkenylsilanes 105, prepared as a pure -isomer by 0-acylation of a lithium enolate derived from the corresponding acylsilane, reacts with carboxylic acid anhydrides in the presence of [RhCl(CO)2]2, giving rise to a-acyloxy ketones 106, which are then converted into 1,2-diketones by acidic workup (Scheme 5.27) [36]. 

At the outset of this discussion, it is perhaps worth noting that there is a considerable difference between the lability of groups on silicon toward redistribution catalyzed by acids or bases (see Section I) and transition metal complexes. Thus, oxy substituents are classified as "labile and hydrogen as semi-labile toward acid- or base-catalyzed redistribution, whereas the reverse is usually the case with transition metal-catalyzed redistributions. Thus, these two sets of catalysts are complementary in their capacity to labilize the various substituents on silicon. 

Transition metals have already established a prominent role in synthetic silicon chemistry [1 - 5]. This is well illustrated by the Direct Process, which is a copper-mediated combination of elemental silicon and methyl chloride to produce methylchlorosilanes, and primarily dimethyldichlorosilane. This process is practiced on a large, worldwide scale, and is the basis for the silicones industry [6]. Other transition metal-catalyzed reactions that have proven to be synthetically usefiil include hydrosilation [7], silane alcdiolysis [8], and additions of Si-Si bonds to alkenes [9]. However, transition metal catalysis still holds considerable promise for enabling the production of new silicon-based compounds and materials. For example, transition metal-based catalysts may promote the direct conversion of elemental silicon to organosilanes via reactions with organic compounds such as ethers. In addition, they may play a strong role in the future... 

Transition Metal-catalyzed Reactions. Chlorodimethylvinyl-silane has been used in the synthesis of silyl-containing Heck reaction precursors.24 Heck reaction of aryl or alkenyl iodides with dimethylvinylsilylpyridine (36) using Pd2(dba)3 and tri-2-furylphosphine (TFP) produced the coupled alkene products 37 (R = Ph, 2-py, 2-thiophene, and others) in high yields and with exclusive E selectivity due to the pyridine directing group (eq 17). The pyridine moiety was also employed as a phase tag, which enabled easy purification via acid-base extraction. The silicon linker was subsequently cleaved by H2O2 oxidation. ... 

Other organosilicon polymer precursors for ceramics have either been prepared or improved by means of transition metal complex-catalyzed chemistry. For instance, the Nicalon silicon carbide-based ceramic fibers are fabricated from a polycarbosilane that is produced by thermal rearrangement of poly(dimethylsilylene) [18]. The CH3(H)SiCH2 group is the major constituent of this polycarbosilane. 

Transition metal-free hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds can be realized with the use of Brpnsted or Lewis acids as well as Lewis bases. Alkali or ammonium fiuorides (CsF, KF, TBAF, and TSAF) are highly effective catalysts for the reduction of aldehydes, ketones, esters, and carboxylic acids with H2SiPh2 or PMHS. Lithium methoxide promotes reduction of esters and ketones with trimethoxysilane. A generally accepted mechanism of Lewis base-catalyzed hydrosilylation of carbonyl compovmds involves the coordination of the nucleophile to the silicon atom to give a more reactive pentacoordinate species that is attacked by the carbonyl compound giving hexacoordinate silicon intermediates (or transition states), in which the hydride transfer takes place (Scheme 30) (235). 

Silylene-based pincer ligands offer exciting reactivities in terms of transition metal complex formation and their applications in catalytic systems. The pincer complex [SiCSi)Ni(II) can be synthesized by oxidative addition of C—H bond of the corresponding [SiC(H)Si] ligand. [SiCSi]Ni(II) complex has been employed as catalyst for Ni-catalyzed Sonogashira reactions (8). Moreover bis(silylene) pincer complexes of iridium and rhodium reveal strong 5-donating ability of divalent silicon and have demonstrated selectivity in catalytic C—H borylation reactions with arenes (9). 

Researchers fundamentally interested in C-C bond-forming methods for polyketide synthesis have at times viewed allylation methods as alternatives, and maybe even competitors, to aldol addition reactions. Both areas have dealt with similar stereochemical problems simple versus absolute stereocontrol, matched versus mismatched reactants. There are mechanistic similarities between both reaction classes open and closed transition states, and Lewis acid and base catalysis. Moreover, there is considerable overlap in the prominent players in each area boron, titanium, tin, silicon, to name but a few, and the evolution of advances in both areas have paralleled each other closely. However, this holds for an analysis that views the allylation products (C=C) merely as surrogates of or synthetic equivalents to aldol products (C=0). The recent advances in alkene chemistry, such as olefin metathesis and metal-catalyzed coupling reactions, underscore the synthetic utility and versatility of alkenes in their own right. In reality, allylation and aldol methods are complementary The examples included throughout the chapter highlight the versatility and rich opportunities that allylation chemistry has to offer in synthetic design. 

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