Serendipitous Metal‐Catalyzed H–H/Si–H Exchange

AbstractVarious metal complexes catalyze exchange between H2 and hydrosilanes. Catalyst screening suggests that the electron deficiency of the metal center is necessary for exchange, but silane and/or hydrogen addition or σ‐bond metathesis with the M–Si and M–H bonds are not required. Kinetic measurements for the system [(ArN=)Mo(PMe3)3(H)(SiH2Ph)/H2/H3SiPh] (Ar = 2,6‐iPr2C6H3) suggest that the reaction proceeds through activation of the silane.