Stoichiometric Hydrosilylation of Nitriles and Catalytic Hydrosilylation of Imines and Ketones Using a μ-Silane Diruthenium Complex

The novel μ-iminosilyl complexes Ru 2 (CO) 4 (μ-dppm)(μ - SiTol 2 )(μ-R‘CH NSiTol 2 ) ( 2 ) were obtained in high yields during the stoichiometric reactions of a diruthenium complex having Ru−H−Si interactions, {Ru(CO) 2 (SiTol 2 H)} 2 (μ-dppm)(μ-η 2:η 2 -H 2 SiTol 2 ) ( 1 ), with nitriles R‘CN (R‘ = Me, Ph, t -Bu, CH CH 2 ). The catalytic hydrosilylation of various ketones and imines with dihydrosilanes were achieved using 1 as a catalyst. A novel reaction cycle involving the cooperative functions of the two Ru metals is proposed for the related hydrosilylation of various ketones and imines catalyzed by 1 .