Catalytic deuteration of silanes mediated by N-heterocyclic carbene-Ir(III) complexes

The catalytic activity of a series of coordinatively unsaturated NHC-M(III) (M = Rh, Ir; NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes was tested in the deuteration of secondary and tertiary silanes. Among these, [IrCl(I(t)Bu')(2)] provides the highest conversions to the deuterated species. Mechanistic studies highlight the reversible nature of the ortho-metalation reaction.