Reactivity of the metal-silicon bond in organometallic chemistry

The reactivity of molecules containing a metal-silicon bond is currently attracting considerable attention owing to its relevance to a number of important stoichiometric and catalytic transformations. The focus of this review concerns those stoichiometric reactions involving the metal-silicon bond which result in isolable Si-containing metal complex(es). Catalytic reactions are therefore only considered when strong evidence for M---Si intermediate complexes is provided. Reactions in which the silicon atom leaves the metal complex are not examined. For convenience, the reactions will be classified into insertion and migration reactions, although this terminology does not necessarily have a mechanistic implication and is somewhat arbitrary since many reaction products could belong to one or the other section.