title: Scope and mechanism of the iridium-catalyzed cleavage of alkyl ethers with triethylsilane.
abstract: The cationic iridium pincer complex [(POCOP)Ir(H)(acetone)](+)[B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) {1, POCOP = 2,6-[OP(tBu)(2)](2)C(6)H(3)} was found to be a highly active catalyst for the room-temperature cleavage and reduction of a wide variety of unactivated alkyl ethers including primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl ethers as well as aryl alkyl ethers by triethylsilane. Mechanistic studies have revealed the full details of the catalytic cycle with the catalyst resting state(s) depending on the basicity of the alkyl ether. During the catalytic reduction of diethyl ether, cationic iridium silane complex, [(POCOP)Ir(H)(eta(1)-Et(3)SiH)](+)[B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) (3), and Et(2)O are in rapid equilibrium with neutral dihydride, (POCOP)Ir(H)(2) (5) and diethyl(triethylsilyl)oxonium ion, [Et(3)SiOEt(2)](+)[B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) (7), with 5 + 7 strongly favored. Species 7 has been isolated from the reaction mixture and fully characterized. The turnover-limiting step in this cycle is the reduction of 7 by the neutral dihydride 5. The relative rates of reduction of 7 by dihydride 5 and Et(3)SiH were determined to be approximately 30,000:1. In the cleavage of the less basic ethers anisole and EtOSiEt(3), the cationic iridium silane complex, 3, was found to be the catalyst resting state. The hydride reduction of the intermediate oxonium ion EtO(SiEt(3))(2)(+), 9, occurs via attack by Et(3)SiH. In the case of anisole, the intermediate PhMeOSiEt(3)(+), 10, is reduced by 5 and/or Et(3)SiH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, USA.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brookhart