Conversion of alkenes to enol silyl ethers of acylsilanes by iridium-catalyzed reaction with a hydrosilane and carbon monoxide

We wish to report that iridium complexes [IrCl(CO){sub 3}]{sub n} and Ir{sub 4}(CO){sub 13} catalyze the reaction of alkenes with a hydrosilane HSiR{sub 3} and carbon monoxide (eq 1) to yield enol silyl ethers of acylsilanes. This unprecedented reaction results in regioselective introduction of carbon monoxide into the terminal carbon atom of alkenes, forming a siloxy(silyl)methylene unit(=C(SiR{sub 3})-OSiR{sub 3}). The present Ir-catalyzed reaction represents the first example of formation of acylsilane derivatives form the HSiR{sub 3}/CO combination. The new catalytic reaction can be applied to a wide variety of terminal alkenes. The acetal, cyano, and epoxide functional groups remain intact through this catalysis. The mechanism of the reaction may involve the possible intervention of a siloxycarbyne comple intermediate. 12 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.