Highly Selective Oxidation of Organosilanes to Silanols with Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by a Lacunary Polyoxotungstate

Silanol synthesis: Divacant lacunary polyoxotungstate (nBu4N+)4[γ-SiW10O34(H2O)2] (I) is an efficient homogeneous catalyst for highly selective oxidation of organosilanes to silanols with 30–60 % aqueous H2O2. Various kinds of silanes 1 containing aryl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and alkoxy groups are chemoselectively converted into the corresponding silanols 2 in high yields with only one equivalent of aqueous H2O2 with respect to the substrate.