Sila- and Germacarboxylic Acids: Precursors for the Corresponding Silyl and Germyl Radicals

Silicon-containing compounds are widely used as synthetic building blocks, functional materials, and bioactive reagents. In particular, silyl radicals are important intermediates for the synthesis and transformation of organosilicon compounds. Herein, we describe the first protocol for the generation of silyl radicals by photoinduced decarboxylation of silacarboxylic acids, which can be easily prepared in high yield on a gram scale and are very stable to air and moisture. Irradiation of silacarboxylic acids with blue LEDs (455 nm) in the presence of a commercially available photocatalyst releases silyl radicals, which can further react with various alkenes to give the corresponding silylated products in good-to-high yields with broad functional-group compatibility. This reaction proceeds in the presence of water, enabling efficient deuterosilylation of alkenes with D₂ O as the deuterium source. Germyl radicals were similarly obtained.