Electron‐Transfer and Hydride‐Transfer Pathways in the Stoltz–Grubbs Reducing System (KO<i>t</i>Bu/Et₃SiH)

Abstract

Recent studies by Stoltz, Grubbs et al. have shown that triethylsilane and potassium tert-butoxide react to form a highly attractive and versatile system that shows (reversible) silylation of arenes and heteroarenes as well as reductive cleavage of C-O bonds in aryl ethers and C-S bonds in aryl thioethers. Their extensive mechanistic studies indicate a complex network of reactions with a number of possible intermediates and mechanisms, but their reactions likely feature silyl radicals undergoing addition reactions and S_H 2 reactions. This paper focuses on the same system, but through computational and experimental studies, reports complementary facets of its chemistry based on a) single-electron transfer (SET), and b) hydride delivery reactions to arenes.