Tuning the Selectivity of AuPd Nanoalloys towards Selective Dehydrogenative Alkyne Silylation

The cross-dehydrogenative coupling of terminal alkynes and hydrosilanes catalyzed by AuPd nanoalloys is described. Metal nanoparticles are readily prepared in 15 minutes from commercially available and cheap starting materials by using a photochemical approach. The ratio of Au and Pd in the alloys heavily influences their reactivity. These cooperative nanoalloy catalysts tolerate a large number of functional groups (e.g., free amines and acids), operate at room temperature under air atmosphere at low loading (2 mol %), and the cross-dehydrogenative coupling can easily be scaled up.