Magnesium-catalyzed hydrosilylation of α,β-unsaturated esters.

ToMgHB(CF) (, To = tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate) catalyzes the 1,4-hydrosilylation of α,β-unsaturated esters. This magnesium hydridoborate compound is synthesized by the reaction of ToMgMe, PhSiH, and B(CF). Unlike the transient ToMgH formed from the reaction of ToMgMe and PhSiH, the borate adduct persists in solution and in the solid state.

Tris(oxazolinyl)boratomagnesium-catalyzed cross-dehydrocoupling of organosilanes with amines, hydrazine, and ammonia.

We report magnesium-catalyzed cross-dehydrocoupling of Si-H and N-H bonds to give Si-N bonds and H(2). A number of silazanes are accessible using this method, as well as silylamines from NH(3) and silylhydrazines from N(2)H(4). Kinetic studies of the overall catalytic cycle and a stoichiometric Si-N bond-forming reaction suggest nucleophilic attack by a magnesium amide as the turnover-limiting step.