Alan J. Chalk

OLEFIN HYDROSILATION CATALYZED BY GROUP VIII METAL COMPLEXES

both hydrogen and silicon bonded to platinum. Addition of hydride to the olefin ( EQ. 2) then gives an alkylplatinum( IV) complex (ii) . Reductive elimination of alkylsilane can then occur (EQ. 3), probably assisted by coordination of more olefin. The term “coordination catalysis” was used to describe the mechanism, since the catalytic steps occurred within the coordination sphere of the metal catalyst. Similar proposals had been made to explain other reactions of unsaturated molecules catalyzed by transition metal complexes, including Ziegler catalysis, the “0x0” reaction, and olefin hydrogenation.3 These mechanisms have in common the coordination of olefin to the metal complex and its subsequent reaction with