Hydrosilanes are not always a reducing reagent: a ruthenium-catalyzed introduction of primary alkyl groups to electron-rich aromatic rings using esters as a source of the alkyl groups

A triruthenium cluster, (μ3, η2, η3, η5-acenaphthylene)Ru3(CO)7 effectively catalyzes primary-alkylation reaction of electron-rich aromatic rings using a combination of hydrosilane and ester as a source of the primary-alkyl group. The reaction involves electrophilic substitution of arenes by carbocationic species stabilized by a neighboring alkoxy or siloxy group generated during the reduction of esters giving alkylated arenes after reductive removal of the alkoxy or siloxy group at the benzylic position.