aThe simple perrhenate salt [NIJhexyl) 4 ]ij(ReO 4 )] acts as a catalyst for the reduction of organic carbonyls and carbon dioxide by primary and secondary hydrosilanes. In the case of CO 2 , this results in the formation of methanol equivalents via silylformate and silylacetal intermediates. Furthermore, the addition of alkylamines to the reaction mixture favours catalytic amine N-methylation over methanol production under certain conditions. DFT analysis of the mechanism of CO 2 reduction shows that the perrhenate anion activates the silylhydride forming a hypervalent silicate transition state such that the CO 2 can directly cleave a Si-H bond.
IntroductionThe hydrosilylation of CO 2 to silylformates and silylethers is an attractive route for CO 2 utilisation as, unlike hydrogenation, this reaction is exergonic due to the comparative ease of Si-H bond activation and the strength of the Si-O bond, and the availability of relatively inexpensive and environmentally benign hydrosilanes. 66 Important to this chemistry is the formation of a lipophilic ion pair in which electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions are enhanced in the hydrophobic phase. This catalyst has the advantages of ease of synthesis and manipulation and lack of air-sensitivity, and the recovery of the precious metal is driven by straightforward reverse phase-transfer. Given the efficacy of this new catalyst system and the use of high oxidation state rhenium oxo complexes in reduction catalysis, it is shown here that perrhenate can act as a catalyst for the reduction of carbon dioxide to methanol equivalents by hydrosilanes, that the methylation of alkylamines using CO 2 as the C 1 source occurs under similar catalytic conditions, and that this method can be used to reduce aldehydes and ketones to silylalcohols.
Results and discussion
Reduction of carbon dioxideInitially, the reaction between CO 2 (2.5 bar), PhSiH 3 (2.0 mmol), and pyridinium perrhenate 1 (2.0 mol%) at 80°C in C 6 D 6 in a Teflon-tapped NMR tube was monitored by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. However, only 15% consumption of hydrosilane is seen under these conditions after 16 h ( Fig. S2 and S3, ESI †). In contrast, when the reaction is carried out using the simple lipophilic quaternary ammonium salt [NIJhexyl) 4 ]ijReO 4 ] 2 (2.5 mol%) with PhSiH 3 in C 6 D 6 at 1 bar of