Si–H Bond Activation and Dehydrogenative Coupling of Silanes across the Iron–Amide Bond of a Bis(amido)bis(phosphine) Iron(II) Complex

Abstract

Despite the utility of Si–Si bonds, there are relatively few examples of Si–Si bond formation by base metals. In this work, a four-coordinate iron complex, (PNNP)FeII, is shown to strongly activate the Si–H bonds in primary silanes across the Fe–amide bonds in a metal–ligand cooperative fashion. Upon treatment with excess silane, Si–Si dehydrogenative homocoupling is shown to occur across the Fe–Namide bond without concomitant oxidation and spin state changes at the Fe center