Visible light harvesting alkyne hydrosilylation mediated by pincer platinum complexes

In this manuscript we assess the catalytic properties of pincer platinum complexes in alkyne hydrosilylation either under photo or thermal conditions. The visible light-induced hydrosilylation proved to be more efficient. It can be performed at room temperature and required lower catalyst loadings than that operating under thermal conditions. The platinum complexes play a dual role in photohydrosilylation as serve as a photosensitizer and a catalyst enabling species in bond breaking/forming transformations. In addition, alkyne hydrosilylation is achieved with moderate regio- and stereoselectivity but is enhanced under photocatalytic conditions and in the case of terminal alkynes we have observed the formation of β(Z) products not observable under thermal conditions. Such differences in selectivity constitute an example of stereodivergent catalysis dictated under photochemical or thermal conditions. The selectivity differences are ascribed to a distinctive reaction mechanism for the light- vs thermally-induced process that involve radical or organometallic intermediates, respectively.