An Easily Accessed Nickel Nanoparticle Catalyst for Alkene Hydrosilylation with Tertiary Silanes

The first efficient and non-precious nanoparticle catalyst for alkene hydrosilylation with commercially relevant tertiary silanes has been developed. The nickel nanoparticle catalyst was prepared in situ from a simple nickel alkoxide precatalyst Ni(OtBu)2⋅x KCl. The catalyst exhibits high activity for anti-Markovnikov hydrosilylation of unactivated terminal alkenes and isomerizing hydrosilylation of internal alkenes. The catalyst can be applied to synthesize a single terminal alkyl silane from a mixture of internal and terminal alkene isomers, and to remotely functionalize an internal alkene derived from a fatty acid.