Synthesis of new iron-NHC complexes as catalysts for hydrosilylation reactions

A series of new piano-stool iron(II) complexes comprising N-heterocyclic carbene ligands [Fe(Cp)(CO)2(NHC)]I (NHC = 1,3-disubstituted imidazolidin-2-ylidene) have been synthesized and analyzed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, elemental analysis and mass spectrometric techniques. These compounds were easily prepared from the reaction of disubstituted imidazolidin-2-ylidene with [FeI(Cp)(CO)2] in toluene at room temperature. These complexes were tested in the catalytic hydrosilylation reaction of aldehydes and ketones with phenylsilane in solvent-free conditions. After a basic hydrolysis step, the corresponding alcohols were obtained in good yields. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.