Iron, Cobalt and Nickel-catalyzed Hydrosilylative Reduction of Functional Groups

Hydrosilylation is an important transformation in organic synthesis. It has displayed widespread applications in homogenous catalysis and in the commercial production of organosilanes and organosilicon compounds. Though metals like Ru, Rh etc., were used widely for achieving hydrosilylation, the increasing environmental concerns and the search for less expensive alternatives resulted in the investigation of transition metals. Metals like Ni, Co etc., exhibit potential cost benefits, in addition to their low CO2 footprint and lower toxicity. Thus, transition metal catalysis has emerged as a promising strategy for hydrosilylation. This comprehensive review discusses the catalytic hydrosilylation of various functional groups with non-noble transition metals such as iron, cobalt and nickel in the last decade. Here, the topic is categorized based on the substrate functional groups such as aldehydes, ketones, alkenes, etc.