Alkoxyhydrosilanes as Sources of Silylene Ligands: Novel Approaches to Transition Metal–Silylene Complexes

Irradiation of Fe(CO)5 and HSiMe2OR (R = alkyl or aryl group) together with hexamethylphosphoric triamide (HMPA) produces (CO)4Fe=SiMe2·HMPA and SiMe2(OR)2. Even in the absence of HMPA, irradiation of Fe(CO)5 and HSiMe2O(2-C5H4N) affords (CO)3(H)Fe{SiMe2···O(2-C5H4N)···SiMe2}. In these reactions, the alkoxyhydrosilanes act as sources of the silylene ligand.