Palladium(0)-catalyzed C(sp)-Si bond formation via formal carbene insertion into a Si-H bond.

Pd(0)-Catalyzed formal carbene insertion into Si-H bonds has been achieved as an efficient method for C(sp3)-Si bond formation. The reaction, which uses readily available N-tosylhydrazones as the diazo precursors, is highly efficient and shows a wide substrate scope. Rh(ii) and Cu(i) salts, which are the widely used catalysts for carbene insertion reactions, have been proved to be ineffective for the current reaction. A Pd(ii) carbene migratory insertion/reductive elimination mechanism is proposed.