Dehydrogenative Silylation of Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by Ytterbium−Imine Complexes

Catalytic dehydrogenative silylation of terminal alkynes with hydrosilanes has been achieved by using divalent Yb−imine complexes. The reaction with mono-, di-, and trihydrosilanes gave the corresponding alkynylsilanes in good yields. α,ω-Diynes were similarly silylated at both termini. Thus, oligomers were obtained from the diynes and dihydrosilanes. In addition, it has been found that the imine complexes exhibit catalytic activity for redistribution of the silyl groups of the alkynylsilanes and for Si−Si bond fission of disilanes