State-of-the-Art and Synthetic Challenges for Hydrosilane Production

Hydrosilanes, key compounds in the silicone industry, are mild and selective reducing agents. They have recently proven to be particularly effective in the reductive hydrosilylation of carbon-oxygen bonds of industrial oxygenated wastes (CO₂, biomass, plastics) for their valorization as carbon resources. However, the current production of hydrosilanes is energy intensive. This review traces the history of hydrosilane preparations from elemental silicon, by electrochemical or metal hydride reduction procedures and summarizes promising new routes to obtain Si─H bonds from H₂, by hydrogenolysis of (pseudo)halosilanes. The energy efficiencies of these reactions are discussed. The main advances but also the remaining challenges for a virtuous synthesis and recycling of hydrosilanes are highlighted.