Germanium Hydride Catalyzed Selective Hydroboration and Cyanosilylation of Ketones

Two new examples of β‐diketiminate or NacNac analogues, i. e., conjugated bis‐guanidinate (CBG) stabilized low valent germanium chloride (1) and germanium hydride (2) complexes, are reported. Deprotonation of LH upon treatment with n‐BuLi and an in situ generated LLi further treated with GeCl2⋅dioxane afforded LGeCl in 79 % yield. Compound 1 reacted with hydride source NaHBEt3 in toluene, afforded Ge (II) hydride (2) in 76 % yield. Both compounds 1 and 2 were characterized by NMR and mass spectroscopic methods. Further, germanium hydride catalyzed hydroboration and cyanosilylation of a wide range of ketones have been investigated. Control reactions suggest hydroboration reactions occurred via insertion and Ge−O/B−H bond metathesis pathways. It is worthy of mentioning that, in the case of hydroboration of ketones, reducible groups such as alkene, alkyne, halide, ester, nitro, and heterocycles were untouched. Furthermore, compound 2 was employed for the reduction of carbonate, formate, and anhydride substrates via the hydroboration technique. A mild and efficient main group catalyzed B−H addition to a broad range of ketones has been investigated. Further, compound 2 catalyzed addition of TMSCN in ketones has been developed, in which C−C bond formation occurs.