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Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Efficient Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized Benzenes in Water via Persulfate-promoted Benzannulation of α,β-Unsaturated Compounds and Alkynes
Published on: December 16, 2019
Highly Chemoselective Zn+2 -Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Alkynes
1School of Chemistry, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University Department, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
Abstract:
Hydrosilylation of C=C double and C≡C triple bonds is one of the most widely used processes in organosilicon chemistry, mostly catalyzed by Pt-based complexes. Herein, the synthesis of a dicationic Zn+2 -based complex with a tripodal tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) ligand is reported which was found to be a highly chemoselective catalyst for hydrosilylation reactions of alkynes. Mechanistic studies revealed that unlike typical Zn-catalyzed hydrosilylation reactions where the key step is the activation of the Si-H bond, this system catalyzes the hydrosilylation reaction through the activation of C≡C triple bonds, which presumably is the reason for its high chemoselectivity. Remarkably, the hydrosilylation of alkynes could be performed in the presence of alkenes and other functional groups that remained intact in this reaction.
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