Synthesis of Fe–H/Si–H and Fe–H/Ge–HBifunctional Complexes and Their Catalytic Hydrogenation Reactionstoward Nonpolar Unsaturated Organic Molecules.

The iron hydride complexes bearinga Si–H or a Ge–H functional group in a ligand [2,5-SiPh3-3,4-butylene-(η5-C4COEEt2H)]Fe(CO)2H (E = Si (4), Ge (5)) and [2,5-SiPh3-3,4-butylene-(η5-C4COSiMe2OSiMe2H)]Fe(CO)2H (6), were synthesized in the reaction of the ironacetonitrile complex [2,5-SiPh3-3,4-butylene-(η4-C4CO)]Fe(CO)2(NCCH3) (3) with Et2EH2or HSiMe2OSiMe2H. These complexes did not hydrogenate a polar unsaturatedbond in either ketones or aldehydes but did hydrogenate a nonpolarunsaturated bond in alkynes and alkenes to give alkenes and alkanesselectively. These complexes also catalyzed a transfer hydrogenationreaction from isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to alkynes and alkenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]