Exhaustive Chemoselective Reduction of Nitriles by Catalytic Hydrosilylation Involving Cooperative Si–H Bond Activation

Abstract

A chemoselective method for the catalytic hydrosilylation of nitriles to either the imine or amine oxidation level is reported. The chemoselectivity is controlled by the hydrosilane used. The usefulness of the nitrile-to-amine reduction is demonstrated for a diverse set of aromatic and aliphatic nitriles, and the amines are easily isolated after hydrolysis as their hydrochloride salts. This exhaustive nitrile reduction proceeds at room temperature.