Titanocene(III) catalyzed homogeneous hydrosilation-hydrogenation of pyridines

The homogeneous catalytic hydrosilation-hydrogenation of pyridines is observed in the presence of Cp2TiMe2 (Cp = η5-C5H5) and CpCp*TiMe2 (Cp* = η5-C5Me5) as catalysts and using PhSiH3 or PhMeSiH2 as the source of Si-H. Under appropriate conditions, and with appropriate ring-substitution, good yields of the N-silyl-dihydropyridine or N-silyltetrahydropyridine products are be obtained. Although complete saturation is not achieved with organosilane alone, carrying out the reaction under moderate H2 pressures can give excellent yields of N-silylpiperidines. Under moderate pressures of H2, [Cp2TiH]2 catalyzes rapid H-D exchange between H2 and the 2- and 6-positions of C5D5N. Under the same conditions, only traces of hydrogenation are observed. This, together with the regioselectivity of 3-picoline hydrosilation-hydrogenation, leads to the conclusion that the key step in the reaction is probably addition of Ti-Si to C=N.Key words: hydrosilation, hydrogenation, pyridines, dimethyltitanocene, catalysis.