Cyclic (Alkyl)(amino)carbene Lanthanide Amides: Synthesis, Structure, and Catalytic Selective Hydrosilylation of Alkenes

The first examples of cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) lanthanide (Ln) complexes were synthesized from the reaction of CAAC with Yb[N(SiMe3)2]2 and Eu[N(SiMe3)2]2(THF)2 (THF = tetrahydrofuran). The structures of (CAAC)Yb[N(SiMe3)2]2 (2) and (CAAC)Eu[N(SiMe3)2]2(THF) (3) were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Density functional theory calculations of 2 revealed the predominantly ionic bond between the Ln ion and CAAC. Complex 3 enabled catalytic hydrosilylation of aryl- and silylalkenes with primary and secondary silanes in high yields and Markovnikov selectivity.