Easily accessible lithium compound catalyzed mild and facile hydroboration and cyanosilylation of aldehydes and ketones

Abstract

Simple and readily accessible lithium compounds such as 2,6-di-tert-butyl phenolate lithium (1a), 1,1′ dilithioferrocene (1b) and nacnac lithium (1c) are found to be efficient single site catalysts for hydroboration of a range of aldehydes and ketones with HBpin at room temperature. The efficacy of 1a–1c as catalysts is extended to the cyanosilylation of aldehydes and ketones with Me₃SiCN.