Alkoxy Hydrosilanes As Surrogates of Gaseous Silanes for Hydrosilylation of Alkenes

Me2SiH2, MeSiH3, and SiH4 are gaseous and flammable silanes that are inconvenient to use in chemical reactions. Catalytic amounts of a nickel pincer complex and NaO'Bu are reported to allow the synthesis of alkyl hydrosilanes from alkenes and alkoxy hydrosilanes, leading to the replacement of Me2SiH2, MeSiH3, and SiH4 by Me-2(MeO)SiH, Me(EtO)(2)SiH, and (MeO)(3)SiH in hydrosilylation reactions of alkenes. The scope and mechanism of the reactions are also described.