Experimental and computational studies of borohydride catalyzed hydrosilylation of a variety of CO and CN functionalities including esters, amides and heteroarenes

Sodium borohydride and a series of related borohydrides catalyze a transition metal-free hydrosilylation of a variety of CO and CN functionalities under mild conditions. Importantly, many of these reactions are possible using the cheap and environmentally benign hydrosilane polymethylhydrosiloxane. A mechanism is proposed based on experimental and computational results.