Reaction of silyl(carbonyl)iron complexes with liAlH₄ giving methylsilanes: Reduction of a carbonyl ligand and coupling with a silyl group

Treatment of CpFe(CO)₂SiR₃ (R₃ = (^pTol)₂H, (^pTol)₂Me, MePh(1-Nap); 1-Nap = 1-naphthyl) with LiAlH₄ in ether or THF at room temperature gave CH₃SiR₃ as a major product in moderate to high yield. The labeling experiments using LiAlD₄ and C_pFe(¹³CO)₂SiR(^pTol)₂ (R = H, Me) proved unambiguously that the carbonyl ligand is reduced with LiAlH₄ and coupled with the silyl group to give the methylsilanc.