Oxidative addition of Si–Cl bonds to electron-rich IrI complexes

Abstract

Si–Cl bonds undergo facile, rarely observed oxidative addition to (C₈H₁₄)Ir(PMe₃)₃Cl (1) to yield, when MeSiCl₃ is used, the crystallographically characterized mer-Ir(PMe₃)₃(Cl)₂(SiMeCl₂), exhibiting a short Ir–Si bond; reaction of (1) and of other electron-rich Ir^I complexes with Me₃SiCl yields Ir–H complexes, probably arising from a rare silyl β-hydride elimination process.