Continuous-flow Si–H functionalizations of hydrosilanes via sequential organolithium reactions catalyzed by potassium tert-butoxide

Abstract

We herein report an atom-economic flow approach to the selective and sequential mono-, di-, and tri-functionalizations of unactivated hydrosilanes via serial organolithium reactions catalyzed by earth-abundant metal compounds. Based on the screening of various additives, we found that catalytic potassium tert-butoxide (t-BuOK) facilitates the rapid reaction of organolithiums with hydrosilanes. Using a flow microreactor system, various organolithiums bearing functional groups were efficiently generated in situ under mild conditions and consecutively reacted with hydrosilanes in the presence of t-BuOK within 1 min. We also successfully conducted the di-funtionalizations of dihydrosilane by sequential organolithium reactions, extending to a gram-scale-synthesis. Finally, the combinatorial functionalizations of trihydrosilane were achieved to give every conceivable combination of tetrasubstituted organosilane libraries based on a precise reaction control using an integrated one-flow system.