A Hybrid Benzothiazolyl-NHC Ligand with a Flexible −CH₂– Linker and Its Cationic Rh(I) Complex That Catalyzes the Olefin Hydrosilylation

A C,N-bidentate hybrid benzothiazolyl-NHC ligand (L) with a flexible −CH2– linker between the two moieties is devised. Classical deprotonation of the corresponding imidazolium bromide LHBr by M2O (M = Cu, Ag) affords the [(L)MBr] complexes 1 (M = Cu) and 2 (M = Ag), where the ligand L is monodentate by binding through the NHC only. A transmetalation with [Rh(COD)2]BF4 from both gives the cationic Rh(I) complex [(L)Rh(COD)]BF4 (3), which turns out to be a decent air-stable catalyst for olefin hydrosilylation giving anti-Markovnikov addition products under ambient benchtop conditions.