New method for the synthesis of organosilicon compounds

March 15, 2016

Using a simple boron catalyst in an efficient and environmentally benign manner

The RIKEN Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory and RIKEN CSRS have developed a new, more efficient method that uses a simple organoboron catalyst to synthesize silyl-substituted aromatic compounds, which are of great interest and importance in various fields such as organic electronics and photonics, pharmaceuticals, and molecular and materials synthesis. This method features high atom efficiency, no requirement for additives or metal catalysts, and is environmentally benign.

The research group had previously worked on the metal-catalyzed C−H functionalization of aromatic compounds using boron compounds as cocatalysts. While studying the C−H silylation of N,N-disubstituted anilines with hydrosilanes, they discovered that the reaction proceeded efficiently in the presence of just a small amount of an organic boron compound (catalyst) without metals. The new method allows for the easy synthesis of silyl-substituted aniline derivatives with various functional groups, which are difficult to synthesize with existing metal catalysts.

This method also offers an efficient route for the synthesis of organosilicon compounds without concerns about metal catalyst residuals.

Original article

Journal of the American Chemical Society doi:10.1021/jacs.6b01349

Y. Ma, B. Wang, L. Zhang, Z. Hou,

"Boron-Catalyzed Aromatic C-H Bond Silylation with Hydrosilanes".

Contact

Zhaomin Hou

Group Director

Advanced Catalysis Research Group