N-heterocyclic carbene mediated activation of tetravalent silicon compounds: a critical evaluation.
An overview of the recent bibliography concerning the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-mediated activation of tetravalent silicon compounds is presented. Diverse reactions are discussed, such as the NHC-mediated addition of silyl pronucleophiles to a variety of electrophiles, NHC-promoted organic and inorganic polymerisation and the reduction of CO(2) by hydrosilanes as facilitated by NHCs. The review concludes with a discussion of the current knowledge regarding the role of Lewis acid-base NHC-Si interactions in the mechanistic course of these reactions.
Fuchter
Matthew J
MJ
Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK. m.fuchter@imperial.ac.uk