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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Imine Metathesis by Silica-Supported Catalysts Using the Methodology of Surface Organometallic Chemistry
Published on: October 18, 2019
Catalytic alcoholysis of tetramethylsilane via Pt-mediated C-H bond activation
Alan F Heyduk1, Jay A Labinger, John E Bercaw
1Arnold and Mabel Beckman Laboratories of Chemical Synthesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125.
Abstract:
Tetramethylsilane reacts with 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) in the presence of a cationic platinum(II) catalyst [(NN)PtMe(TFE)]+ (NN = 1,2-bis(3,5-dimethylphenylimino)butane). Catalytic Si-C bond heterolysis results in the formation of the trimethylsilyl ether, Me3SiOCH2CF3, accompanied by liberation of one equivalent of methane. Preliminary experiments suggest that a rate-determining C-H bond activation precedes rapid attack by solvent at silicon to yield the silyl ether product and regenerate the active platinum methyl cation.
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